STORM IN THE SOUTH.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19807, 30 November 1927, Page 12

STORM IN THE SOUTH.

BALE AND HEAVY RAIN, WANAWATU DISTRICT SWEPT. I POWER SERVICES SUFFER. if LINES BROKEN BY TREES. ; j[BT TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] PALMERSTON NORTH, Tuesday. 'A heavy downpour in tho early hours (t)f yesterday morning and a cold snap culminated in a northerly gale with conditions almost bad enough for midwinter. Xasfc evening tho thermometer stood at £ lO (degrees and at 12.30 p.m. to-day it registered 63 degrees. Considerable, damage was done by the .gale to the electric power lines of the JTanawatu-Oroua Board, which are scattered over a wide area. Most damage, however, occurred to service lines, to cowsheds and houses through trees being uprooted and flying branches striking wires In consequence the power board's staff ■worked all night effecting repairs to restore services to motors used by factories and in sheds. Trees were uprooted in all directions and branches blown several chains in many cafbs. At Ohakea a bhmgum troo crashed on to a cowshed, .practically wrecking the structure and doing considerable damage to the milking plant, separator and power equipment. A child had a narrow escape from serious injury. Flood of " Trouble " Calls, [Another cowshed in tho Manawatu county was unrdofed and the walls blown flat to the ground. Two pine trees crashed on to the 3300-volt power line at Bainesse, causing a considerable amount cf damage, which the power board's staff repaired at, daylight this morning. Cabbage trees, which are usually considered safe from damage by gales were broken off like carrots. Within two hours of the galo reaching cyclonic force over 40 " trouble " calls ■were received at the Bunnythorpe substation but by this time every member of the staff who -could be communicated with had been called out and every car and truck available was in use. By milking time this morning all calls, received had been attended to. The Girl Guides in camp at Tiritea had an unpleasant experience and, owing to the high wind they had to take refuge in Mr. McHardy's house and adjacent buildings. ■ The cooking shelter which, together with the big marquee for meals and a store tent, was on a little flat below the camp proper was blown down. Another source of danger was tho little stream which usually wanders slowly past the cooking shelter and store ' tent. Swollen by the rain it threatened to overflow its banks and inundate the flat. Foxton in Darkness. At .Foxton a 20-gallon benzine drum standing empty at a service station in the main street was picked up by the wind and hurled; across the street into All Saints' Churchyard. Mr. A. E. Tong's plateglass window and fanlight were blown in. Bryan's billiard room lost two windows from the upstairs portion of the building and ieuces were razed in all parts of the borough. Much damage was done to orchards and gardens. At Mr. 0. Dawson's residence two large tauks were lifted from a stand and hurled to the ground. Iron was torn from roofs of houses in various parts of the town. At nine o'clock Foxton was plunged into darkness owing to a tree falling across the power line. The Power Board engineer was able a few houis later to supply Foxton with power, via Shannon. In the meantime, however, pictures and other entertainments in progress at the time were abandoned. This afternoon the weather was beautifully fine and it was practically the first summer day. COLD SNAP AT TAUPO. SNOW ON THE HIGH LEVELS. ACTIV jty OF NGARUAHOE. [by telegraph.—own cobnEsro>:dent. ] / TAUPO, Tuesday. Cold and stormy weather has been experienced and snow has fallen on the Ka>manawa Ranges, Ruapchu, Tongariro and Kgaruahoe. Ngarviahoe was active a!l the morning arid this evening from the big steam vent on the slopes of Tongariro, a dense cloud cf steam is issuing. Conditions have been unsuitable for fishing. CONDITIONS IN WELLINGTON .INTERRUPTION OF TRAFFIC. DAMACE TO RAILWAY LINE. [BY TELEGRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION.] WELLINGTON, Tuesday A southerly gale raged last night with heavy rain and continued this morning. The railway line along the harbour, has been partly washed out and trains were stopped for some time. Shipping fias fceeu interfered with, and telegraph Jines interrupted. A motor-lorry was blown over on Queen's Drive and much damage has been done to gardens. This gale is_ worse than any last wintor, and/,is in keeping with tiie weather all this month, which has been far more like winter than spring. WAHINF/S ROITOII TPIT. BATTERED BY HEAVY SEAS. [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CO RHI. SI ON DENT, j CH R IST CHURCH, Tuesday Caught in a severe gale which lasted all the way south from Wellington, the ferry steamer Wahine arrived at Lyttelton this morning at 9.40 o clock, all but three hours late. fhe first express foi the south was delayed until 10.17 o'clock, and the coast train did not leave until 10.15. Ihe passage from Wellington is described as one of the worst of recent years. Leaving in heavy ram the vessel did not reach Cape Campbell until midnight, or nearly two hours behind the usual time. Kaikoura and other landmarks were obscured in the thi.k rain, and theio was little moderation in the conditions until between 5 and 6 o'clock this morning. The Wahine came through tho ordeal without tho slightest mishap, although to some of the passengers it seemed that the whole top of the ship must be blown or washed away. The salt-encrusted funnels of the vessel testify to the pounding she received. All arrangements were made for docking the steamer for cleaning and painting, but as she was too late to catch the tide these repairs probably vrili be deferred for a fortnight,.