HURRICANE AT POVERTY BAY.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 24 September 1928, Page 7

HURRICANE AT POVERTY BAY.

MANY HOUSES UNROOFED. ! GISBORNE, Last Night, In Poverty Bay dawn to-day was ushered in, by a strong wind which in a few hours increased to a ga-le of hurricane force, the climax being reached about nine o'clock. v The wind then eased down until at neon it had dropped considerably, though towards the evening the wind again commenced to spring up. During the eight or nine hours the gale raged this morning, considerable damage was done in many directions. Country Townships Suffer Severely. Telephone and telegraphic communication was blocked for some hours, Gisborne being practically isolated. The wires were down betwoon Wairoa and Napier on the south line and at iwai on the north lino, but early in the afternoon communication was restored. Two country townships, however,-' suffered severely—Whatatutu and Ttuatorca. Whatatutu is inland, about 28 -miles north of Gisborne, and the gale, experienced there was the worst in the memory of living settlors. The wind came rushing down the valley with terrific force, reaching its zenith about nino o'clock. Amongst the first buildings affected was the two-story hotel the front verandah of which broke away with a crash, portions being carried over the roof and into the bt-ck yard. Alarmed rcsidentis heard the noiso but were too busy protecting their own property to render much assistance. The hurricane continued tearing down the valley and soon a large blacksmith 's shop which was unoecupiod was demolished. Soveral houses had; their roofs blown completely off and chimneys were brought down in aH directions. Flying timber and sheets of iron were in some cases carried miles away. •A portion of the roof of a large store was blown off and the staff hurriedly threw ropes over the remaining portion for security. > The shelter shed at the school was completely wrecked and several small buildings were blown down and demolished. Invalid's Narrow Escape. Numerous exciting incidents occurred during the gale and narrow escapes were recorded. In one case a woman who had been seriously ill was removed from her home just a few minutes before the roof under which she had just sheltered was carried away. From Whatatutu a large number of private telephone lines extended in all directions and these are now down, the back country beyond Whatatutu being completely isolated. Motor cars in Whatatutu and the vicinity presented an unusual sight, numerous hoods being blown off. Reports of damage in the interior cannot be ascertained, but it is reported that the woolshed at Duncan Campbell's Mangamara station was partly wrecked. Equal damage was done at Ruatorea, eighty-two miles north of Gisborne on the east - coast.. Here the balcony of the hotel was completely demolished and several windows were broken and chimneys brought down. A building under construction was blown down and the flying timber crashed on to the telephone wires, putting all out of action. .. The Interrupted Shave! On Mr. J. Ready's property a three- j roomed whare was at the time when the gale was at the height of its fury occupied by two men, one or' whom was i shaving at the time. The wind caught the whare and rolled it over and over for iully a hundred yards with both men inside, the building being finally demolished. The two men were badly bruised and suffered from sovero shock, but are not seriously hurt. The roof of the shelter shed at the school was blown off and the same fate befell a large cottage next to the hotel. Windows were blown in in all directions. Jerusalem's Church Unroofed. At Jerusalem the root' of the church was blown off also the roof of a small house. Another house was removed bodily. Another house was in course of erection with all the walls up. In an in-

stant these were laid flat on the ground, the timber flying in all directions. Between Ruatorea and Tokomaru Bay motor traffic is impeded by big trees blown down across the roads and in the height of the gale many drivers took the precaution to bind ropes over the tops of their ears. No. damage is reported in Gisbornc beyond several fences and shop signs being brought down in the win'd and some small windows blown in in houses in positions exposed to the gale.. On the Poverty Bay tlats several maize cribs were overturned but fortunately were empty, the owners having shelled their crops. In one case a settler found the top of his neighbour's crib in his backyard.