Fierce Gale

Manawatu Times, Volume LVI, Issue 7136, 20 April 1933, Page 6

Fierce Gale

Sixty Miles an Hour

DAMAGE IN CANTERBURY

Per Press Association

CHRISTCHURCH, Last Night

The fiercest nor’-wester for many year's raged for an hour about 8 o’clock this morning, attaining 60 miles an hour. Fencing and stacks suffered severely in many country districts. Branches of trees along tho river bank of the city were thrown in all directions. At times a huge cloud of dust obscured the landscape. The power lines were not damaged.

Grass and Bush Fires HOMESTEAD IN DANGER CHRISTCHURCH, Last Night. A big grass and bush fire, fanned by the gale, is raging on Mr John Maclde’s station in Puhi Valley, near Kaikoura, endangering the station and woolshed. Hundreds of men are fighting tho flames. The private wire is dow r n and particulars are difficult to obtain.

A fire spread over 250 acres of the Teviotdale Estate, owned by Mr H. Greenwood, yesterday, from a point near the homestead to the coast. Fences were destroyed, but no stock Suffered. A nor’-wester wind carried the flames away from the homestead and the plantations, but there were anxious moments.

Shipping Delayed RANGITATA DAMAGED CHRISTCHURCH, Last Night. The Kiwitea, due at Lyttelton at noon to-day from Dunedin, wirelessed that she was delayed by the storm and would not arrive till 7 p.ni. There is no news yet of the Gale and the Storm, both expected at Lyttelton to-day. Tho gale in the harbour delayed tiro berthing of tho Maori and the Waimarino by half an hour. Tho motorship Rangitata was blown against the Gladstone pier and leaned over so much that her superstructure was damaged, and the undercarriage of an electric crane and a pile on the wharf wmro broken. The officers of the Maori report that the gale at sea was exceptionally severe. At Sumner, the roof of the pumping station at Shag Rock was blown off, and the brick wall of a building under construction was blown in. A workman at Sumner was blown off his bicycle. His hands were injured, and he had to be assisted home. The weather improved later.