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Evening Post, Volume LX, Issue 104, 30 October 1900, Page 5

THE NORTH-WEST GALE.

TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION! STILL SUSPENDED. The heavy nor'-wesberly gale failed t« blow itself out yesterday, but gathered, fresh strength last night. Several heavy showers of rain only brought % brief lull, and at time of writing the gala is still with us, although we have had an. occasional gleam from the sun through the heavy banks of clouds. The wind registered 670 miles for the twenty-four hours ended at 9 o'clock this morning, and there was no sign of a change from the north-west. Only 0.67 in. of rain fell during the twenty-four hours in the city, but over an inch w«s registered at Pe-to-ne and the Hutt. The barometer was . low this morning (29.1 in.). Our Featherston correspondent informs-, us that a gale has been raging at intervals! - for several weeks in his district, but, never did it blow with such force as it did yesterday. Two large telegraph poles in Featherston were snapped in half, and a good deal of other damage done. Passengers by the down train last night noticed signs of the gale all the way through the Wairarapa, especially in the lower part of the valley, where trees were uprooted, and telegraph poles snapped. The creeks were bank high. Coming over the Bimutaka, there were evidences all along the faces of the range of tho -stress and strain of the storm, with' uprooted and broken-down trees,; twisted fences, and here and there overturned!" outbuildings. The wind blew so bard atr Featherston that severai nervous passengers by the train declined facing me ride over the Bimutaka, and stayed behind for the night. . The journey over the Incline did not prove as dreadful astthdse who braved it anticipated. ; The telegraphic service remains in anuch the same position as it was in' yesterday. Communication is still obtainable with Blenheim, and messages can be got through to the West Coast. But all messages for other places in the South Island are' being refund. The Knes\are open for 'ordinary messages to Wanganui and' New* Plymouth on the West Cdasfc, but on the East Coast the breaking or poles in the Wairarapa has put a stop to communication with all places north of the Hutt. " Railway communication has been-unin-terrupted along- 'both the Government an<? the Manawatu lines. Telegraphic communication with Napier was obtained via Palmerston this morning. THE WEATHER AT SEA. The weather is still toad at Westport* and Greymouch, there being 'a westerly gale, . with heavy sea, on the bar, and a strong flood in the river at both places. No vessels will be able to get out today, and hi' the case of the 1 steamers detained'at Westport, their departure will have to be further deferred until to-mor-row afternoon. The Waimri will come direct- to Wellington on sailing. Nei ther the Taieri from Auckland", or Omapere from- Wellington, have yet appe'aredoff Westport. Captain Bollons, of the Hinexfcoaj' believes that a 1 vessel sheltering, in\Akak>a-Bay on Sunday was' tlffe Omaperfey and -the Oreti was 'seen under" Giutw&fßafck; There is no improVement in • thß',w«a,theY afc' Foxton, where the Charles' Edwatd 1 and .Queen of , 'the SotiftiV far- Wellingtons ante waiting to< get 1 but! Tibe Upolu's officers report plenty of wind after passingr.Cape Campbell- tflis room"ing. ' The Waverley,. -Jan^t Nicoll, Bania, and Opawa made a start for their respective destinations- this-meraing. A -fisherman at^Paikakariki reports, that a small steamer' is under Kapiti, nnd phe (is almost certain to be- the Ktripaka, .which sailed for Patea on Thursday last. The Stbrmbifd, , Manaroa, and , Hum, which had been bar-bound at Wangtumi <by a westerly gale, got clear yesterday, and. all . the % boats< ha 4 a .lively, .passage ero reaching., this port, .- Yesterday afternoon a sipnal of distils j was .hooted, from, the coal-hulk^Ladybiwl, 1 which" was moored in the stream, nnd on going out v ±Q investigate .the matter it -was Jfyund that the' seizing roundx'the" 1 shaokV l by which the. mooring chain is attrclird 'to the buoy had chafed through, and fearing that tne shackle-pin might- fall oui, 'allowing' the hulk to share the, fate of the Omega, the keeper signalled for assistance. New seizing was wound round ' the shackle, and warded off the danger. -After getting to Palliser this morning, the Moura had to contend with a wind of almost cyclonic force.