AEROPLANES WRECKED AT FEILDING.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 3 February 1936, Page 5

AEROPLANES WRECKED AT FEILDING.

PARORANGI 'DROME DESTROYED

One of the most serious individual losses arising from yesterday’s devastating wind storm was

the destruction of two aeroplanes at the Feilding Aero CluVs aerodrome at Parorangx. These 'planes, an Avro and a Spartan, were the property of Mr H. M. Oram, of Palmerston North, a pioneer of civil aviation in the Manawatu. The wind of hurricane force which covered the whole of the back country, swept across the Parorangi ground to take the small 'drome building of iron in its course, and expose to its devastating might the two aeroplanes winch had been considered safe and secure. Deprived of their protection from the elements, the machines were quickly tossed about as matchwood and in a ve 7 little time were complete wrecks. Offering little resistance to the wind, the machines came to pieces with fragments scattered in all directions. News of the trouble was brought to Feilding by passing motorists, who had secured pieces of the wrecked 'planes as mementos of the occasion. To those who saw the wrecked machines they presented a dismal sight and were seemingly damaged beyond repair. Mr D. C. Cullinane, president of the Feildmg Aero Club, was communicated with and news of the unfortunate loss was passed on to Mr Oram by the "Times." Mr Oram stated last evening that he valued the 'planes at £IOOO. TREES IN HUNDREDS FALL TO THE WIND. VALUABLE SHELTER AND FRUIT LOST The enemy of the tree is the wind, and in yesterday's storm the casualty list must have run into thousands. Trees, and in some instances whole plantations, were bowled over like so many nine- ' pins, and many eharts will bleed in contemplating the destruction. Valuable shelter, that has taken years in the growing, is now so much firewood. Fruit trees and ornament: 1 shrubs have also been laid low by the devastating gale and gardens ruined beyond immediate repair. Orchards are carpeted with windfall apples, peaches, nectarines, and plums just approaching ripeness, but useless in their present state except perhaps fcr jammaking. One of the places to suffer as badly as any was tlie Lspianade, which has been the pride of the city. Some of the trees brought down had taken many years in growing to the perfection which they had reached, and their destruction will be regretted. Another irreparable loss is at Massey College, where many of the stately pines that gave the institution such a picturesque setting, succumbed to the force Oi the storm.