THE RECENT GALE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16300, 5 August 1916, Page 9

THE RECENT GALE.

REPAIRING THE RAILWAYS.

GOOD PROGRESS MADE.

STORM-TOSSED STEAMERS.

Yesterpat witnessed a r. lTa improve ment in the weather conditions.

Traffic on the. Mai,, Trunk line was ful.'y restored, and all inward trains were up to v.-hedul*. time. (iood progress was made by the Railway Department's workmen in repairing th* damage on the ] northern line to Rangam.i. above Helens- j viile, cu-r.l |.y the torrential downpour of ran. The Hood., on the line had according to the latest reports vesterdav ! > msiderahly .subsided, and the line will ' bo sufficiently repaired l,y u.-dav to en- ! We trams to pass over the defective' portions at a slow ,peeu\ It is autici- I rated trial on Monday trains on the Ilelensvdle im,. vull be running as usual Most 01 the fault, ~, the telegraph ! tT'tt* ''in, lL " rt T-'i>cd. The Auckland-Wellington wire ha, been nut' into proper wo.kmg order, but the Bay of ! Ilenty mho is still slightly defective" ,V lurther fat- of .10 mehes of ram was I registered by ta„ Hkrai.d rain gauge fori the 24-hour.pmd ended at midnight last night. n This with the 261 in worded; during he 48 hours preceding, makes a' U>tal fall ot 2.91,n since the commence-i ment oj the run on Wednesday. Heavy Sea on Coast. ~ Th r\- r <"" ent storm was very severe on the U est Coast, and in consequence shipping at Onehunga was disorganised. The I R.aniwa was unable to leave 011 Thursday afternoon for New Plymouth, as the: Manukau Bar was considered to be too I dangerous for the. vessel to cross. The j Rarawa will not now leave for the Tara- i naki port until Monday afternoon. The I Rimu was unable to get away for Hoki- 1 anga on Thursday ; she will "sail to-day. j The Ngatiawa and Tasman, which returned to Auckland on Wednesday evening, sailed I again yesterday morning for Opotiki and Whakatane respectively. The Manaia returned from Whangarei yesterday afternoon, and sailed again for that "port as Uftial la*t evening. The Waiotahi. which was delayed in the North by the storm, is expected to return this morning, but the Aupouri, also from Northern ports, is not expected back until to-morrow morning. Te Anau's Long Trip. The Union Company's cargo steamer Te Anau arrived at Auckland ' last evening from Southern ports, after one of the most stormy and lengthy trips yet made 'from Gisborne. The vessel left Gisborne at noon on Wednesday, and occupied 56 hours on the passage, which is usually accomplished by a cargo steamer in about 26 hours. The officers report that the Te Anau encountered a heavy easterly gale as far as the I East Cape. When off that point the wind - lulled for a brief period, and then suddenly veered round to the north-west, and blew with hurricane force. A tremendous sea was running, and as the vessel could make very * little headway, she was hove-to for six hours. The Te Anau was again put on her course at 2 a.m. on Thursday, and some idea of the nature of the wind and sea mav be gained from the fact that she took 42* hours to steam the 200 miles from the East Cape to Auckland. Heavy beam seas broke over the vessel almost continuously, while the rain came down in torrents. Her decks were flooded trom stem to stern, and a small quantity of cargo which was stowed on the after deck was washed overboard. Arahnra's Experience. The Arahura, which arrived last night from Napier and Gisborne, also made a somewhat lengthy passage of 29 hours. The vessel encountered a heavy easterlv gale between Napier and Gisbcrne. The weather was too thick to enter Gisborne, and she was delayed off that port for some time. On the passage to Auckland the Arahura met with the heavy gale which delayed the Te Anau, but made a better passage and came through without mishap. DAMAGE AT P AERO A. TELEGRAPH INTERRUPTED. [BY TELEGRAPHOWN CORRESPONDENT.! PAEROA. Friday. The storm ceased yesterday evening, but incessant rain is still falling and the Waihi and Ohinemuri Rivers are rising, and if the rain continues a flood will probably result. The damage at the Paeroa-Waihi gold extraction works was considerable. The roof of the boiler-room was completely carried away, and the electric lighting plant is disorganised. The damage is est£ mated at £200. A large staff are at work and it is expected repairs will be effected by Saturday. The greater part of the roof of the Central Theatre was blown away, while other buildings also suffered severely. Telegraphic and telephonic communication is entirely suspended, and the authorities cannot sav when it will be restored

FLOODS IN HAWKE'S BAY. LOSS OF STOCK REPORTED. [BT TELEGRAPH.—PRESS ASSOCIATION'.] HASTINGS. Friday. More damage was caused by the gale and floods than was at first anticipated. A j»ge.. area of land between Okawa and Omahu is under water, and settlers in this district report loss of stock, one man losing 400 and another 200 sheep. Miles of fencing have been washed awav. A perfect torrent flowed through a nou.se at Okawa, and the family were rescued bv men on horseback. The. whole of Pakowhai is under water: in fact, the outlook -from the railway between Hastings and Napier is one Jake. Ron.] trafhY between the two towns is impossible. Fortunatelv the river mouths are not blocked, otherwise it would ™£? h^en a- most disastrous flood. Over «XX) tons of earth .slipped on the YVaimarama Road, which will be closed to traffic lor some dav.-.

HARBOUR BOARD DREDGE SUNK

SPRUNG A LEAK IN STORM

[by TELEGRAPH.— rnr.ss ASSOCIATION.]

WANGANU7, Friday. The heavy c„„th easterly gale continued throughout the night. The Harbour Hoards old dredge, valued at about £5000, moored MCasllecliff Wharf, sprang a. leak at four ociork this morning, and sank in 30ft of *ater _ hour later. No great difficultv m refloating her is anticipated.

COLLAPSE OF A HOUSE

OCCUPANTS PREVIOUSLY REMOVED.

[BY TELI/,RArrr.— PIIESS ASSOCIATION.]

WELLINGTON, Friday, Shannon fared badly in yesterday's gale oruon of the roof of a' new house was Mown oft. and lailderf 20 vards aw 'Occupant removed his family when the root disappeared, and a little later the gj» **. ,ff the piles and cob aiout cQ chimneys levelled.

&ANAWATU IN HEAVY FLOOD. RAILWAY SERVICE INTERRUPTED. [ fi r TKLH.IUPH. — pklsS association.] rALMLRSTON NORTH. Friday, p here is a ;„, avv flood in the M anawalu «ver, and low -lying < l, "" t '" v is inundated. servi', "■* sLI " "*'»*■'■ Tlle 1-oxU.n train tan™ l & '"t«i-riipted. the lino for a. d.s ttuS J; 4 J[! i r,w -V"««» ° a mile being