MANGAWAI: TERRIFIC HAILSTORM.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVI, Issue 5649, 24 December 1879, Page 6

MANGAWAI: TERRIFIC HAILSTORM.

One pecuriarily with regard to this district is that all settlers in the surrounding districts, have to travel to the port over the roads here, cutting them up more than all the traffic from the Mangawai settlers. This has lately been discussed promiscuously, and a suggestion thrown out thsit a clause in the Highway Act, making it compulsory to pay for extraordinary or excessive traffic ehould be introduced—i.e., when the traffic from stonepits, quarrie?, or coal mines, 4c, ie so great that the roads are cut up beyond the average traffic of any settler. The owner of the stonepits, or quarries, &c, must pay such sum for excessive traffic as the trustees of a Board shall determine with the option of the appeal. It is nothing but fare to small ratepayers, that the full burden be not cast on their shaulders.

The 10th of December, 1579, will long be remembered by settlers here : the heaviest »torm of hail fell that was I shculd say, ever seen in this district. Potatoes, oats, cabbages, onions—in fact everything whether large or great; apples, pears, plums, peaches, &c. —were in some instances totally destroyed, and in other much damaged. Brokeu wiudows were quite common. Messrs. Sturch, Boldero, Ryan, Moouey, aud others were heavy losers. At tho Hakaru Messrs. Webster, Tutin, and McMillan shared a similar fate. At Te Arai and Oruawharo Messrs. Farrand, Yates, Logue, Pilkington, and others came in for nuarly the full force of the storm. Their crops are to a certain extent destroyed. The flood rose as high or higher than has every been known, and in the shortest time. The storm was heard some time before its arrival. It came upon us in a column, looking like foam, reaching from the eky to the earth. Horses and cattle made for the bush for shelter, and at Mr. Boldero's a ' number of quail with their small chicks took shelter in the cowshed, and were as quiet as if domesticated. Some chickens are said to have been killed. The uproar oo shingles was great, but on corrugated roofa it was frightful. In both instances it was impossible to make oneself heard, even at the top of one's voice. The hailstones or lumps of ice were from two inches to two aud a half In. diameter, and by tlii sound of the blows on the shingles there must have been some as big as a cricket ball. Glass and putty are now in requisition.—[Own Correspondent.]