GALE IN AUSTRALIA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18519, 2 October 1923, Page 7

GALE IN AUSTRALIA.

LOSS OF TWO LIVES. LITTLE GIRL KILLED. : CRUSHED ' AMID DEBRIS. ' • ; The"" severe gale 'which, swept, IStn South Wa&es' last imontli diaimed iw< lives. ■'■'■;'••'• ='r "'.''•"'/. At f Albuay, ; during a fanous dust storm a fuamiture warehouse was '':■■ blown down Elsie Spargo, ■■ aged 11 years,y who was on the way i to school, was ; buried in ; 'ithi debris : : and crushed beyond^-recognition Clare Treloar, u aged 12•■■years, -was ' badlj

injured. At -Bargo, in the same .State, the roof was lifted from a store and damage to the 'extent ! of • £300 ■:was done; :; An y unknown.; man, who< was camped in the vicinity, assisting to remove the roof when [it .was "blown back on him, ; and ; : he was killed instantly.■!''#':: ■■-.' \£f ■••■;•''.■'■■/.:■ '■>'•

.'•■•■•in'' Sydney itself .the S'galey: was very severe/- : Balmain : caught the full force of the storm. The .;.' lights failed, in i many streets, "and a ' picture u show; ; entertain-■ ment had to be abandoned ; owing to th» same reason. The fire brigade station was left without electrio current.

Parraraatta y and y; Auburn;';; suffered I considerable damage to fencing, i. The roof at the engine-sheds at the Clyde ..' railway yard was . blown £ off and landed '[ on -the , railway line near; Alburn. iy. The : ( roof pi the maids'; quarters : at Thomas ; House, Parramatta, ,was blown off. The Horasby Masonic Hall was unroofed. ; Mrs. Afcock, of Manly, was injured. " ; Much damage''was (done;. throughout the. ' St. George ' district,, ; scores of : hoardings, fences," signs, and sheds ;, being;" blown down; J Fruit trees, which were a' picture in the morning, : presented ■. a dismal, stripped ■. appearance.;. the ■■■ following day, the branchesVc; having been entirely.V denuded of blossoms. ' Heavy losses .have been experienced by ; small fruitgrowers. Local nurserymen also ' suffered . heavily, their .crops;:;: of young vegetables : and flower' seedlings being 'blown flat,. au<£ in. many cases torn from the ground by the • strength of,-the gale. On the George's River at - Como, and >ound yKogarah Bay, several ■ motor launches at anchor were sunk, and others blown ■; ashore -and ; damaged. li' Many others were blown from their ; . moorings, and are missing. "' .•" : j".';ji--' ,**'■'