SOU’ WEST STORM

Grey River Argus, 27 April 1945, Page 4

SOU’ WEST STORM

Grey District Damage COMMUNICATIONS DISORGANISED A south-westerly gale which blew during Wednesday night did not exhaust itself till yesterday afternoon, and which was accompanied by electrical disturbances early yesterday morning did a good deal of damage in the Grey district. Electric power and telegraph services were interrupted and the running of trains was disorganised to some extent. When the power failed at about G o’clock yesterday morning the Railways Department's automatic signalling system stopped working, and there was no communication between Greymouth and stations on the Midland line between Stillwater and Otira. Two trains—the 6.45 a.m. mixed Otira-Greymouth train and the 7.48 a.m. mixed Greymouth-Otira train—could only run on the section between Stillwater and Greymouth and the railcar from Christchurch did not reach Greymouth till 9 a.m. A steam train in the meantime replaced it on the Hokitika run. Communications on the Midland line were not restored till early in the afternoon and the signalling system was not working as usual till about J o’clock. The east-bound express left Greymouth 15 minutes late, while that from Christchurch arrived Irene about half an hour late.

There was a big delay on the Hokitika line. The 5.15 a.m. goods train from Greymouth was stopped at Camerons "by a resident, as there was a tree across the line. In spite of the fact that the resident gave great assistance by getting the necessary tools for disposing of the tree, the train was held up for more than an hour. Communication was lost on this line from 5 a.m. till about midday.

Communications were not lost on the Reeftoii line, though some trouble was caused by line faults. Damage to power lines in the district by wind and electrical disturbance included a break in the Camerons feeder, affecting the south end of Greymouth, and faults, on the Barrytown and Rewanui lines. The Camerons feeder was restored through the second circuit, but powerhad to be cut off in the whole town for nearly an hour shortly after 1U o’clock yesterday morning while the line was repaired. The Barrytown line was restored during the morning and the Rewanui line at 2.23 in the afternoon. The Grey Power Board’s staff concentrated on repairs to the main line, and some of the many damaged individual lines were still not repaired last evening. These will be dealt with to-day. The Liverpool, Strongman, and Wallsend State mines and several co-operative mines in the Dunollie area were idle because of power trouble, but the Dobson mine worked. All mines are expected to work to-day. All telegraphic communication with Greymouth was cut off for a time yesterday morning, but by 10.30 a.m. three telephone circuits and four telegraph circuits to Christchurch were working, and all lines were bacli to normal by three o’clock in the afternoon. Most of the damage was caused bv fallen trees and branches. The lines to Christchurch were broken at Kaiata and near Moana and Ihe alternative circuit via Kumara was broken at Turiwhate. Other lines affected included that to Wellington by way of Reef ton and Westport and the line to Westport up the Coast Road. ' Throughout the district a good deal of damage was done to fences, wireless aerials,' buildings and the like by the wind and falling trees, some of which were struck by lightning. At the Omoto racecourse part of the roof of the old stand was blown off, and several loose-boxes were damaged when a tree fell across them. Several trees were snapped off in the trunks. Up to 9 o’clock yesterday morning, 1.06 inches or rain fell in Greymouth, in 24 hours, and 2.27 inches in 48 hours, temperatures were very cold both on Anzac Day and yesterday, being down to 45 degrees at 6 p.m. on each day, the lowest reading at that hour this year. There was a fresh ,or three to four Knots in the river yesterday and a high sea on the bat The Harbour Board s dredge Mawhera,” was to have left yesterday ioi Wellington for an overhaul but was unable to go. The. usual north-bound passenger and mail plane did n t make the trip yesterday.