HURRICANE AT NIUE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 15906, 1 May 1915, Page 9

HURRICANE AT NIUE.

DAMAGE TO PLANTATIONS.

KERERU IN A GALE-

News" of a terrific hurricane, which completely, swept the small island of Niue, in the Cook Group, was brought to Auckland by the local trading ketch Kereru, which arrived in the stream iate on Thursday night. The hurricane was one of the worst known on the island, and it occurred at the 6ame time as tho hurricano which was reported to have swept a portion of tho Tongan Group in January last.

A report received from the British Resident of Niue states that tho wind began to blow with terrific force from the south on January 13, and by 3 a.m. on that date the wind had increased to such force 'that practically everything in its track was swept away. All the villages situated on the eastern side of the island suffered severely. Over 900 native huts were levelled to the ground, while tho mission church at Mutalau was completely destroyed, and three others severely damaged. The gnlo blew down thousands of cocoamit trees, and destroyed most of the banana and breadfruit crops, but the taro crops escaped injury. The coeoanitt trees which were left standing bear a very dilapidated appearance, and it will be about a year before they bear again. All the growing jiuts were blown off, and being for the most part, not matured, are not puitable for making copra. The loss to the native population is considerable, but it is stated that the people are making a general recovery and are not short of footf. The Government buildings were not damaged in any way, and fortunately no one was injured. The hurricane lasted until the evening of January 14. During tho height of the storm the barometer reading was 2899. The Kereni, which has made a particularly amart round voyage, left Niue on April 14. and when about 150 miles from Sunday Island ran into the tail-end (if a hurricane and was somewhat knocked about. A tremendous sea was running, ai d in order to lighten the ketch so that sht would ride out the storm with safety aboi/. 70 tons of copra and a quantity of jjftlive hat 6 and furniture were jettisoned. The weather continued rough until the vessel was within 60 miles of tho Great Barrier.