GALE AND HEAVY RAIN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume L, Issue 15292, 3 May 1913, Page 8

GALE AND HEAVY RAIN.

■ V" '"■■■«» ';f. WELLINGTON VISITATION. MANY SHIPS DELAYED. WIMMERA'S STORMY PASSAGE. [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] Wellington, Friday. A southerly gale of considerable severity, which originated yesterday • before noon and increased to a gale in the afternoon, swept Wellington and district all night: This morning its fury was but slightly abated, and the wind blew across the city, carrying with it stinging squalls of rain. Such a storm has not been experienced for many years, the rainfall for the last 24 hours totalling something like 5.70 points. The city suffered from tHft downpour of rain and the heavy wind. Walls and fences in various parts were laid flat. Late last night the tram service was considerably inconvenienced, and there were delays on several lines. This morning, up on the hillside overlooking Mitchell town, several small "slips" came down. Other hillsides about the city were similarly scarred. Water Lying in the Streets. About 6.30 p.m. it was evident that the storm-water was beginning to collect " on Lambton Quay, near the police, station. By midnight ii was high tide, and the sea banking up the storm-water drains, penned up the flood-waters on this portion of the quay, and there was a veritable .'lake imprisoned. A heavy window-sash, loosened by the gale, crashed from the top s_torey through the verandah of a shop in . Lambton Quay, scattering glass in all directions. Luckily, it did not come down until about midnight, when pedestrians were few and far between. > Slips of earth are reported from *Kelburne, Karori, Brooklyn, and other places, but none of a very serious nature. Seatoun residents felt the full foroe of the gale. Wires—both electric light and telephone cam* down, and many people were left in darkness. Slips*from the clay banks on to the tram-lines stopped all traffic to a point on the city side of the Seatoun tunnel. At the bays exposed to the south,- fences were blown down and banks were washed away. Hutt River Running High. There was a large amount of flood-water in the Hutt Valley this morning. The ridges at the head of the valley poured down such a quantity of water during the night that the Hutt River rose from 10ft to 12ft. Upper Hutt was drenched from end 1 to end. In the low-lying hamlet of Wallaceville thjs morning there was 3ft of water about some of the houses, and passengers who would catch the train for the city were, in one or two instances, carried across the pools on the backs of bare--legged individuals. At Silverstream, where, 4in of rain fell, tho place is still spotted with little lakes. Milkmen putting their milk cans into jthe down train in the bitter early hours told, each other stories of cattle marooned and almost water-logged, ; and of conscientious dairy hands, swimming |to the rescue with long' ropes. The Mungaroa River has never been so high. Shipping at a Standstill. Shipping was at a standstill last night! The Manuka, from Sydney, bound " for Lyttelton, started at five o'clock, but was j. unable to face the storm, and came to an anchorage in the stream, whers she . remained until ten minutes past eight this morning, then she resumed her voyage. The ferry steamer Mararoa could not look at the weather, and will not leave for the South until to-morrow night. Passengers who were to have gone in her ' last • night will be taken by the Maori to-night. None of the small coasters have got in 1 or out since yesterday, and several are , reported to be sheltering. ' •' The Moeraki, from Lyttelton to Syd- 1 ney, arrived at 7.45 a.m. to-day, a-quar- 1 ter of an hour after the Maori, from i Lyttelton., The Pateena from Picton and Nelson, and th& Wimmera from Sydney, . via northern ports, came in at 9 and 11 " a.m. respectively. All report bad pas- 1

sages. , v 'v '■ :-1 Wimmer&'s Trying Time. ■ Although the other three vessels which 1 < arrived in port this morning were severely 1 ( handled, their experiences were by no . means so bad. as that of the Huddart- j Parker Company's intercolonial steamer Wimmera, which arrived over four hours ' ( late. When the vessel was seen beating 1 up the harbour this morning, it was ap- i parent that she had met the full force of ] the gale, as she had a heavy list to star- < ' 'board. " ■ , ; The vessel left Napier , shortly ? after 1 1 2 p.m. yesterday and all. went well until .1 about two hours before midnight, when j she tan into the storm. Tremendous seas i i were shipped, some breaking clean over , the whole vessel, but she behaved admiri ably. The impact was so great that it 1 : caused the cargo to shift (hence the list 1 to starboard), and this to a great extent I retarded the vessel's progress. By the 1 • time the vessel first met the storm most i of the passengers had gone into their i bunks, but, nevertheless, they, or at least < , those who were not particularly good i sailors, were unable to get any sleep i When morning broke the gale,had not 1 moderated, and the seas'were tremendous. i However, although ; seriously inconveni- t , enced by her list, she laboured on, and, < ~ much to the relief of 'the ' passengers arrived at the heads, shortly before nine i o clock, and at the wharf about one and t a-half hours later. -x. ' ■

Injuries to Members of. Crew. Three accidents to members of the ship's complement occurred during the voyage A youth employed on the vessel had a thumb split open from top to bottom, an able seaman .received a bruised leg, and the baker, owing to a fall, received injuries to his ribs. On arrival at port the three men were attended to by Dr. Henry, who discovered that the injuries were - riot of a very serious nature. ,\ i In consequence sof her late, arrival the! Wimmera will not make a call at Lvttelton, but will sail for Dunedin direct at noon to-morrow. HEAVY WEATHER IN . WANGANUI. WIND SEVERELY FELT. ; [by telegraph.—own correspondent.] Wanoanui, Friday. ' Wanganui has experienced the full force of the southerly blow prevailing over the Dominion. After a very tempestuous night the storm continued unabated throughout to-day, heavy, driving rain falling and the weather being bitterly cold. Gardens have been much knocked about by the wind, which has also deprived trees of , their branches and laid, low board fences , here and there. The gale was also responsible for blowing in a large plate-glass window in Fairburna and Silk's, (hying to the rough weather telephone communication, with country districts: is seriously disturbed ; a number of settlers were cut off this morning. TELEGRAPHIC WORK DELAYED. Some delay in the transmission of telegraphic work has been caused by boisterous weather in the South. During Thursday afternoon and night a heavy southerly gale swept across the southern portion of the North Island, and the lines were carried away, interrupting communication between Wellington and Wanganui. An average of two hours delay resulted in the handling of telegrams yesterday. It was expected last evening that the damage would be repaired ,by noon to-day. A Press Association telegram from Christchurch states that a bad break occurred in the telegraph lines 12 miles north of Kaikoura, yesterday morning. Telegraphic communication with : the North Island via the East Coast, was interrupted, but by half-past twelve - one shaky wire was working, through to Blenheim. - < , " "-. ;/,