SEVERE STORM.

Evening Post, Volume LXXIX, Issue 88, 15 April 1910, Page 8

SEVERE STORM.

WELLIJJOTON BtJFPETED. SOOTH ISLAND-SMITTEN* TELEGRAPH WIRE 3 DOWN. 'A lull ia the wind and the clear ■iarry sky last night may have led muny Wellington people to make light of the Meteorologist's warning : "Look out for dqualls." The remarkable fact was that .Wellington was Uamponnky the peaceful centre- et a stooqy circle. There was an easterly gate at the Bast Cape, a vigorwas weatedy was driving across the top of the South Intend, and a lusty southerly was thrashing boifa coasts of the South Island. This breeao ran up the east coant, peat Ksikoora, and got as far as Cape Campbell, but was there conquered by a panuing wave of low pressure of superior intensity. Hence the violent gale here to-day, the screeching, howling, and shrieking of the tempest, the flying hats and the fallen fences. SqaaUinea* prevails right up into the far north, out the south is having the sadder experience. The nnws of the island's ptsjtfet is meagre, by reason of the broken wires, but it can be safely assumed that a vicious southerly is TimA-inp a mesßorabfe disturbance down there. Winter was . firmly established at the Bluff last night, with blasts of sleet to keep wayfarers from forgetting ihe fact. Dearth of reports from southern districts handicapped the Rev. D. C. Bates this morning m forecasting the probabilities, but he anticipates several d»ys of unpieaeantoeas, jjriih a southerly to top on the programme. TELEGRAPH BUSINESS DELAYED. Nelson reported this morning 1 that a heavy gale bad Mswpt the West Coast, and the lines between Beefton and Greymonth had been injured. There was also a minor break beyond Lyell, so that only intermittent communication betKtrn Nelson and Beefton w*» poaaible. Later on, ihe havoc was increased, and communication with the South Island, at 1 o'clock, extended no further south than Kekerangu on the east coast and Lyell on the we«t. and Christchurch and Dunedin were totally cat off. The tempest has been specially energetic in the Christchnrch district, and there have been several distinct breaks. One place in Canterbury reported six poles down, and this clean sweep was soon followed by a total interruption of speech between Chzvtchurch and Weifington. IN THB CITY. Citizens scurrying after recordbreski:ijj "bowlers" have been a common spectacle in town, to-day, but the gale ha* lifted heavier things than hats. The motor garage at the rear of the drill shed (now the Paroek-Post Office) lost its galvasiEed iron roof. The top was blown clean off, and w*» dashed against a wall of the Hotel Arcadia, after cutting a passage through <ame electric-light wires, «vfaich hoaoared the feat by fusing and lashing. The plant working the huge crane rretl on the site of the new Poet Once was sorely thumped, and the gigantic arm .was put oat of action for a time. STEAMER BREAKS ADRIFT. Some time daring the night the Union Company's s.s. Haupiri, 815 tons, broke away from her anchorage off Kaiwarra, and drifted across the harbour to SbeJUgr Bay, where she now lies aground on the beach. She waa anchored by means of a chain, and it is thought most likely that it has snapped, otherwise the anchor must nave dragged. It is stated that while drifting she "fouled" the Blackball Coal Company's hoik "Jubilee," but no damage is reported. The Haupiri is in charge of a keeper and his wife. The harbour tug Natone was sent out to Shelley Bay this morning, but could not get into communication with the vessel. There i* little or no chance that the vessel can be got off this afternoon, but as the bottom she rest« on is mainly shingle, little damage can result. She will probably be steadied with cables j some time thi» afternoon. In addition to the Haupiri, it is reported that a small vessel known as the Norseman, and a punt, belonging to the Wellington Harbour Board, have also carried away their moorings, and drifted ashore. GREYTOWN HARD HIT. ' [BT TELEGRAPH — SPECIAL TO 188 MBT.] GREYTOWX, This Day. A fcv«rc wind, -accompanied by heavy lain, raged here last night. Quantities of fruit were blown irom the trees. Many fences are down.