AUCKLAND’S SHARE

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXVI, Issue 119, 4 May 1936, Page 9

AUCKLAND’S SHARE

Widespread Damage Caused AUCKLAND, May 3. A violent storm accompanied by heavy rain and hail swept over Auckland on Friday night and raged throughout Saturday, giving place to improved weather to-day. The storm caused widespread damage and interruptions of essential services, but most of the breakages were of a minor nature and were quickly repaired. Ihe severity of the storm was indicated by the exceptionally low barometer, which had fallen to 29.10 late ou Saturday night. It then rose steadllyh Telephone, telegraph and electric supply services were all interrupted lor varying periods on Saturday, Five minor outbreaks of lire lullowed the breaking of power lines. Many dinghies and small craft ou the Manukau harbour were swamped by high seas which swept over Onehunga wharf, although there were neap tides. Isolated instances of damage to buildings were reported, and hoardings and hedges were blown over in the suburbs. Damages to the electrical signalling system caused a number of delays to trains in the area between i’ukekohe and the King Country curly on Saturday morning. A broken t l>ooo volt power-line outside Newmarket sub-sta-tion was responsible lor the principal interruption in electric power supply. Three houses and a motor-van at Onehunga were damaged by (ire following the breaking ol power-lines on Saturday morning. Although telephonic services throughout the city and suburban districts were considerably affected, little damage ol a serious nature occurred. Similar damage occurred m country districts but no area was completely isolated for any length ol time. Telegraph poles were torn down in several places and wires were broken. A wireless aerial at Kawau Island, providing the only communication with the mainland, was brown down. A hailstorm ol exceptional severityoccurred on Saturday afternoon. At the end ol live minutes, when the (all ceased, hail had completely covered road surfaces, which appeared to be thick in snow. Bools and lawns were white. A severe gash in the thigh was received by Edward Brown, of I’onsonby, when the window in his bedroom blew in and showered him with glass as he lay in bed. A St. John Ambulance driver narrowly escaped injury when one of the windows of the machine he was driving at Manurewa was blown in by a sudden gust. Broken glass was scattered over him, bill lie escaped without a scratch.