STRONG GALES

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXII, Issue 254, 25 September 1942, Page 4

STRONG GALES

POWER SUPPLY INTERRUPTED,

Breakages in main supply feeders affected electricity supplies to two parts of the city last evening, the trouble extending, in all, over about a two-hour period. The section between the lower half of Fitzherbert Avenue (taking in the north-east side only) and Manawatu and Paliiatua Streets lost supply through two breakages in Ferguson Street, and candles had to be used by residents until the trouble was righted. Iu the area between Rangitikei Street and Wood Street, also, two breakages in the main caused trouble. Eventually, this locality was fed through another main in Taonui Street. Elsewhere in the city there was dimness at times in the lighting and considerable flickering, but the electricity department worked hard under short-handed conditions to return the service to normal.

The gale of Wednesday and late yesterday afternoon and liiglit caused damage in exposed gardens and to shrubs and trees, white-flowering cherry trees now blooming having their flowers torn off.

Many fierce gusts were experienced, some of these reaching a velocity of 65 miles an hour as recorded at the Milson aerodrome. Two of the strongest were registered at 2.30 ii.m. and 10 p.m. yesterday. Boisterous weather has also been experienced in the Wanganui district, with heavy rain in the back country. A wooden roof 60ft square together with concrete supports weighing several tons was lifted bodily and carried about one and a-half chains when a whirlwind struck Bell Road, Woburn, Wellington, yesterday afternoon. The damage occurred at the Wellington Concrete Pipe Company’s factory. Hearing the roar of the approaching wind the factory manager left the building just as it was struck and was immediately enveloped in masses of flying timber and he was blown off his feet.