A FIERCE GALE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13226, 11 July 1906, Page 5

A FIERCE GALE.

DAMAGE IN THE WAIUKU , DISTRICT'

TUBES UPROOTED AND A SHOP

UNROOFED.

THE weather was very unsettled yesterday, the wind blowing from between north-west and west, with heavy rain squalls at intervals. Shortly before four p.m. yesterday a, heavy squall broke over the city and harbomy lasting for Over three-quarters of an hour, and all work was suspended on the wharves in consequence. The barometer reading at five p.m. on Monday was 30.14, and at the same horn yesterday was 29.31, showing a considerable fall in the 24 hour*. Last night there were somo very heavy squalls of wind and rain, but in the early hours of the morning the wind moderated.

A telegram received last night from our Waiuku. correspondent states, that a gale of almost hurricane force passed, over the Waiuku country about three o'clock yesterday 'afternoon. The wind became very .strong shortly before three o'clock, and then quickly increased in force, until the district seemed to be receiving a visit from a cyclone. Large trees were bent over by the terrific force of the wind and uprooted. The roof oi a carpenter's shop, occupied by a, Mr. Hood, was torn off with a, crash, and was hurled, away into the distance by the wind. The roof of Mr. Braun's cowshed also went, and the iron and timber from these roofs were carried fully a-quarter of a mile away. Fences were levelled in all directions, and it is feared that considerable damage will be yet reported when further news from the country districts .visited by the gale comes in. The telegraph wires were down between Bannevirke and Wellington, and also be-' tween Hawera and Patca, and for a time all telegraplue communication between Auckland and the South was interrupted. Towards evening, however, communication was restored. The rainfall in Auckland on Saturday last, that "s, for the 24 hours ended halfpast nine a.m. on Sunday, was more than an inch. The record taken by Mir. Cheeseman at the museum showed the actual fall to be l.OSui. For the succeeding 24 hours the. fall was 19 points.

Out Dargaville correspondent writes:-— During bat week we experienced most inclement weather. A gale was blowing from the south-west, accompanied by heavy downpours of rain and hail. On Friday a, violent thunderstorm passed over the township. Although a great deal of rain has i alien no freshes have taken, place in the creclcs where the great number of .kauri logs lie. In the Awakino it is estimated there are upwards of 10,000 kauri logs-over a distance of some TO miles.,

HEAVY GALE AT WELLINGTON. !

SOME SEVERE EXPERIENCES. ,

[BY TELECE-VI-H.—OWN CORRESPONDENT.] Wellington, Tuesday.,

A gale, which swept the harbour last night and this morning, brought trouble to the owners and masters of vessels which jferr not safe alongside- the Wharf.

The soow Wanderer, which arrived from Havelock soon after one o'clock this morning, brought tip near the hulks, but towards morning she commenced; to drag, until-at nine o'clock she was 20yds : off the shore at Oriental Bay. Tho vessel's anchor struck firm in the holding ground, and the scow was eventually towed up to the wharf by theDuco., , .Captain, .jHoJjwtnMn much as he could do to hold on during the, thrashing of Iris little vessel up to the en- . trance last night in the teeth of the gale. ,'i'h'e"s.s. Nguriguru, "from Blenheim, put iti most of the morning working er way up from tho Heads to the wharf under . steam and sail. - .. ~. ■/: A small steamer, supposed to be the! launch Piaka, from Blenheim, took shelter; at the heads about midnight last night. At about ten o'clock it was reported'that the vessel s cables had parted, and she was in an unsafe position. Since then no news has been received by telephone, communication with the signal station- having been blocked;. The position of the little vessel was Reported, to the Marine Department, and it was stated this afternoon that the Piaka was sheltering in Filzroy Bay. The training-ship Sparrow dragged her : moorings from the,, Kaiwarra Bight, and .just before midday brought up in the man-. : of-war ground,' opposite the end of the Queen's Wharf. The vessel not only dragi ged her own buoy, but picked up another buoy off the end of the Glasgow' Wharf. These, together with the ship's anchor, now form the moorings of the ex-warship. .' The hulk Arawatta broke away from her buoy, and she also brought up in the man-of-war ground. • .. ■'" ■■■ After midday the wind chopped round, mere to the west, and lost some of its' strength. , A STEAMER'S ROUGH PASSAGE. ' . [BT TELEGRAPH.— PRESS ASSOCIATION.] Wellington; Tuesday. The steamer Tweeddale, which arrived fiom Newcastle to-day, had a rough trip' across the Tasman Sea. On Sunday, the! gale was still at its height, and the muchtried vessel was furthei buffeted in the huge sea. that was running. Some of the • ■ waves struck the vessel with tremendous force, one of them causing the cargo to shift, and giving the steamer a list to.port.' The gale continued throughout yesterday as fresh as ever, . and on soundings • being :. taken it wac found that there were 4ft of . wate» on, the port side of No. 2 hold. The pumps were connected with this hold and . wsj>e started, and further soundings revealed that there were 6ft of water. An examination being made, showed that- cm* of the *. 'tween deck ports had been stove in. The steamer was. then stopped, and a plug was • put in the hole from, the outside, a difficult task in view of the heavy sea.

TREE BLOWN ON TO A HOUSE.

< ' A CHILD'S MIRACULOUS ESCAPE. I [BY TELEGRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION-.] j Chiustchuech, Tuesday. : ; A winter nor'-wester blew with great violence this morning about seven o'clock. At Mi. F. G. Harvey's dairy farm, at the Styx, a big pine tree was snapped off near \ , the ground, and blown on !to the house. Ib crashed through the roof, splintering the rafters and ceiling, and generally wrecked v the furniture of a bedroom, besides doing other damage. A four months old infant, sleeping on the bed at the time, had a ' miraculous escape, for a portion of the tree was found lying across the bed, and splint- ■ i. ered wood lay all over the place. V ' FENCES BLOWN DOWN. ' . [by TELEGRAPH.PRESS ASSOCIATION.] / New Plymouth j Tuesday* ; j,V During the. height, of to-day's gale the , wind readied a great- velocity... Fences were blown down, but no serious, damage is reported.