A NORTH-EAST GALE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 14304, 25 February 1910, Page 5

A NORTH-EAST GALE.

SHIP PING INTERFERED WITH

' ' HEAVY FALL OF RAIN.

11 of fin© weather which has been Tins sP rtl d for gome time in Auckland was SSfSokcn early yesterday morning. TU %' thev previous . day the sky-. became '■ PUr ' nS t and a strong wind set in from the > overcast, This gradually freshened 'and m in a. -ale! accompanied by heavy ' 5 CUlml ° a Wch came down incessantly during Win ' Lie of yesterday. The gale was •; {he ff^ 0 v jj r D c. Bates, Government ;..predicted. > - and ho further predicts a iIMS-Sfof gales and rain, with the to the southward, after which * ffld ,«wUl rise slowly. At three p.m. ?;,,,the|^:^ r stephen6o n . reported that ' fTZ no "improvement in weather cong£rid : that rain would probably con--6 So has been very little ' /Trenorted locally as the result of the f dlffl3g X large fleet of yachts anchored Mechanics' Bay did not. however,, pass " 1 the ordeal altogether unscathed. £tt« >ol them have foundered,: and '•• ° v ra have dragged their moorings and are dangerously close to one another. ; In R of i yachts a raft of lo has ' Scert away, and the logs are being washed ''Zt at the mercy of the waves. Out in gCour the water, last night was ex- •' lely rough and along the breastwork, •• V'Snd the Railway Wharf, the waves were -^;: expending their force ._ • . : < ' ; Shipping has been somewhat interfered , with by the gale. v T j, e Northern Company's ; steamer K'anieri, which arrived from Whangaroi '. ' Lorday>et the full force of the;, gale. Leaving the Northern port at one o clock ' :„ the morning, the Kaniori immediately encountered high seas and very thick wea- • ther until reaching Auckland at four p.m. after a parage. of 15 hours, which; usually "occupies nine hours. Big seas constantly • broke on board; the steamer, some of them '"- findin" their way' into tho saloon, which, 'however,- suffered little or no damage. The Kanieri's departure for Whangarei last. evening was postponed on account of 'the weather. : ,;.;•; '■•■':.■''■.-"■''• '' ■ ■ Tie Union Company's steamer,Tarawera, SmiDunedin "via ports to Auckland, took' 26 hours to cover the journey from Gisborne to this port owing to stress of weathor. Favourable conditions were experienced until ■ passing the East Cape on Wednesday night, when heavy; beam seas; and very "thick | weather prevailed,' continuing • v : until-arrival at Auckland.

• The stow Ranger, bound from Paeroa to '•■'■■ Whangapoua, put; into Auckland early yes- ' terday morning for shelter from the gale. : ■ j v The steamer Aupouri, which was advertised topsail for Tauranga yesterday afternoon, did tot make the trip. Her time-table will . bo 'taken up by the Tasmau, which leaves ! Auckland this afternoon for Tauranga. providing the conditions ; are favourable. The majority of the local fleet of sailing vessels are detained in port, while others y are sheltering along the coast. The \ telegraph lines at Coromandel were' considerably - damaged and all communica-

•ition to Whifianga, Whangapoua, Tairua, and Kuaotunu was cut off until 4.30 p.m. yesterday, .when repairs were effected and the service restored. V ' ' ;, .. .

Our Russell correspondent telegraphs*.— Owing to a heavy- easterly gale and thick weather ■ the .>• s.s. Clansman was kept , well off I tie land on Wednesday night, arriving . here five hour* later : than usual. The pas- -'. sengers had a very trying time.; The ■fi steamer .is still weather-bound here, and may not ■be able-to leave for Auckland be.i.fore Saturday.if the gale continues. ... ".;■ ' :> -' :-•:.,■:.,;'*'; ",-'-' 'v..' „-"V-- •- ■■- -' .'■-....■ V

• ; GALE AT NORFOLK ISLAND. : ?■".': By Telegraph.— "Association. —Copyright. :";" NortroLK Island, February 24. - , A strong gale from the eastward has'

been raging for s the last two days, : and the glass is exceptionally low. . . - ,