AFTER THE STORM.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXI, Issue 48, 27 February 1911, Page 8

AFTER THE STORM.

Wellington is once again clean and refreshed after the - buffetting and drenching it was' subjected to by the cyclonic disturbance that raged through Saturday night and over Sunday morning. A gentle calm prevails with a cool breeze from the south-east. The report from the Meteorological Office speaks of little movement on the part of the barometer, which has a tendency to fall elowly. Cool a«d changeable weather conditions are not unlikely, but fair weather will probably prevail generally. A cool niglit is probable especially m the neighbourhood of Cook Strait. THE CYCLONE'S ORIGIN. The cyclonic movement from which Wellington caught over cix inches of xain within twenty-four hoars pxoba.bly had its origin to the north-west of Norfolk Island, states Mr. Pemberton, assistant Meteorologist. Its centre paeeed Norfolk Island on Friday evening, advancing in a S.S.E. direction. It was of considerable intensity (not of common occurrence). These cyclones usually approach these islands in a more S.E. direction, passing to the east of Cape Zvlaria and East Cape. Tho direction of the movement varies according to the position of the neighbouring anticyclones (or high pressure systems), but is always from west to east in New Zealand latitudes and more or lees obliquely. In this case the disturbance was influenced •in its movement by a high pressure system which on Thursday had the greatest pressure in the central parts of the North Island, and on Friday had moved a little further eastward (about East Cape). This accounted for the approach to the westward of Gape- Maria, and consequently the passage down the west coast of the North Island. On Saturday at 9 a.m. the centre had reached a point about 100 miles to the W.N.W. of Cape Ma.ria, and at this time a heavy northerly gale w,as being experienced off the Cape (to the left front of the centre), and gaies down as far as East Cape. From Cape "Maria it passed down the West Coast, and by 8 p.m. the front of its centre had reached Cook Strait. The lowest pretsure at Wellington was 29.45 inches lecorded at 1 a.m. on Sunday and the heaviest rainfall between 8 p.m. Saturday and 1 a.m. Sunday. (Rainfall at Wellington, 6.33 inches).

At a meeting of representatives of various athletic and sports bodies, held last Wednesday evening to consider ways and means of raising money to ensure representation of New Zealand at the Festival of Empire sports. Mr. Hill ■read a telegram from M. E. Champion, in which the Auckland swimmer stated that hs would go Home on certain conditions. Since then Mr. Hill has received another telegram worded as follows : — "Received correspondence; position undergoing a change, writing immediately." Dr. Clark, an ex-member of the liritish House of Commons, who gave an interesting interview to a representative of The Post last week, had a good word to say for the climate of New Zealand. Before leaving for Sydney he stated that he considered that the climate of the North Island was the best he had experienced in his many journeys to various parts of the world. He had no reason to change his opinion after his third visit during the past thirty years. One of the sufferers through the storm and earthquake of Saturday night was Mrs. Moore, of Bidwell-street. Shortly before 4 a.m. she and her family were awakened by the sound of a, heavy fall, and in the morning it was discovered that the brick and cement wall, about 12ft high and SOlt long, on the north side of the Bidwell-Blreet tennis courts had collapsed, and was smothered in 50 tons or more of rock and clay. As an indication of the immense pressure that must have been exerted ero the sustaining wail gave way it may be mentioned that in places the biicks themselves have been completely rent a&under. Messrs. T. Kennedy Macdonald, Ltd., advertise in this issue particulars of tho following sales : — To-morrow, commencing at 11 o'clock, a sale of. building material on the ground, Lambton-quay, next Public Trust, also 250 shceLs iron, flooring, lining, doors, piping, otc, etc. On Wednesday, Ist March, the firm will sell in their rooms, at 1.30 o'clock, a catalogue of household furnishings, including chesterfield lounge, brass-mounted French bedstead, mirror-back sideboard, 2 massive brass-curb fenders, and a 1910 Triumph fres engine motor cycle. On Thursday and Friday, 2nd and 3rd March, they will hold an auction ealo of £2000 worth of unredeemed pledges, without reserve, by orden of tho administrators in the estate of tho late Joseph Metz, of the Mont de Piete pawn office. The fialo commences at 11 o'clock each day. The Postal Department has 'just imported a two-ton motor lorry, to be used for conveying mails between the General Post Office and the wharves and trains. It is of 16 horse-power, and capable of a speed of 15 milee an hour.