HEAVY GALE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 10131, 14 May 1896, Page 5

HEAVY GALE.

Ok Monday evening a strong easterly wind ' set in, whioh gradually increased until it I blew a strong gale, gradually veering into the north-east The wind, however, was not felt so strongly in the city as out at sea, the steamers arriving during the past couple of days all reporting extremely heavy weather. The Island steamer Richmond, from Rafotonga to this port, fell in with the gale on Sunday iasb, and was compelled to heave-to under the Great Barrier on Tuesday nighb in consequence of the severity of the weather, Captain Hutton describing the sea prevailing as the worst ho has yet experienced on the coast. The departure of the various coastal steamers hag been delayed in consequence of the bad weather. From the following telegrams from our correspondents it will be Been that the gale has extended all along the coast, So far as is known thoro has been no damage done, with the exception of one or two small craft in the harbour being injured slightly.

[M TELEGRAPH.— CORRESPONDENTS.] Mabsden Point, Wednesday. The easterly gale reported yesterday has moderated, the wind being more northerly. The cutter Nancy lost her anchor, bub brought up in Stowart's Bay, without damage. Two scows dragged their anchors, and the cutter Spitfire is ashore on a mudbank, but is nob seriously damaged. Whanqahbi, Wednesday. A very heavy gale blew here last night from due east, and ib was the first genuine easterly storm for soven months. Less than three inches of rain have fallen, but ib looks as if the storm was not half over yet.

Hokunga, Wednesday. A strong easterly gale lias been blowing here for the past two day?. Paehoa, Wednesday. A fierce north-easterly gale set in on Monday evening, and has continued ever since with unabated fury. Today it seems to have gathered additional force, and being accompanied by heavy rain, outside works have consequently been brought almost to a standstill. All the creeks are very high, while there is a tremendous volume of water in the Ohinemuri River. A good deal of floatage has been carried down by the current, including the roof of a house. Beyond the levelling of fences, and the uprooting of a number of trees, no damage lias up to the present been reported.

TnAMKS. Wednesday. Very heavy rain has continued to fall here since yesterday, and the various crooks and rivers of this distiicfc aro now i running pretty high. About threo hundred logs, it is reported, came down the Kaueranga River to tho booms, today. The only damage of importance done during the night's gale wns the blowing down of a large tree across the County water-race near the head of the Kaueranga, which has . cut off the supply of water for motive purposes, consequently all the butteries ure at "a standstill, and operations in the Cardigan have also been suspended on account of there being no water to drive the air condenser. Tho stoppage, ■ however; is : not likely to last long, as a gang of men have gone up to effect tho necessary 'repairs to the race. -;'■ ■'■■'■"■ ;-