The Gale Down South.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 5628, 12 September 1889, Page 3

The Gale Down South.

MARVELLOUS VIOLENCE

FENCES COVERED WITH LOOSE EAR!—-*

TELEGRAPH POLES SNAPPED

[FEB PKKSS ASSOCIATION.]

Chbistchubcii, Last night. Reports continue to come to hand of great damage in the country districts, by the nor'-west gale on Monday night The fanners will probably be severe suiftreis STs "ated on all hands that the lately pluled and sown soil has been b own Sffiy away, and the seed beds dr.ited up against thA-e fences. In many■ i - stances paddocks havo been wept £re °* every vestige of loose soil. I his has teen USed on the adjoining roads or piled up Kwith the fence!, which iv some cases nrl cohered by it. At Sheffield the corrcspo G nden of So Lyttelton Times describes ?he sou thus blown away as passing over in clouds that obscured the moonlight and Sd the bouses in that and the ne.ghhorin* districts. Tho schools were closed yesterday, the people being busy clearing tho dirt out of the dwellings. Stocks outhouses, and shed, naturally Buffered severely everywhere- At Oxford the bush caught fire, three houses were burnt to the ground, and a stable wan blown down. I he Homohush station was destroyed, obeniel.i suffered but not so severely as Ashbur.on, where tho violence of the gale was felt most severely. The telegraph wires were all down, the poles being snapped like carrots. Tho roof was blown oft the Loan and Mercantile Agency Company's big store, ono end bejng taken clean off All round the district suffered. A newly-erected engine shed at Springston, Mount Somcrs district, was completely destroyed. Houses, stables, and trees were blown uown. At the Oeraldineracccourse tho grand stand wasunroofed and the grain stacks destroyed. Ihe gale was telt with great force generally throughout South Canterbury. Ram has fallen steadily all to-day, doing immense good to the early crops, pastures, &0.