DISASTROUS HAILSTORM.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20172, 5 February 1929, Page 8

DISASTROUS HAILSTORM.

NORTH OTAGO VISITATION.

DAMAGE TO GRAPE CROPS.

SEVERAL VINERIES AFFECTED.

HEAVY LOSS TO GROWERS.

[BY 'jelegraph.—press association.] OAMARU, Monday.

Just four weeks after the disastrous hailstorm in North Otago, on the corresponding day, at the samo time of tho dnv—--1.20 p.m.—a similar visitation played havoc this afternoon with tho vineries at Ivakanui, a seaside resort, five miles south of Oamaru. This district escaped last month's storm.

Reverberating peals of thunder and vivid flashes af lightning preceded the storm, which lasted a few minutes only, but during that brief period damago estimated at between £7OO and £BOO was done. Tho ground was covered with a white mantle of hailstones as large as pigeon eggs, and the western • sides of three vineries, each 100 yds. in length, belonging to Mr. G. W. Cleverly, were completely wrecked, thousands of panes of glass being smashed. Mr. Cleverly's grape crop, which was jusfc about to go to the market, is now exposed tc the elements, and should there be wind or frost, it will bo completely ruined.

Seven hundred feet of glass was shattered in Messrs. Tyson Bros.' vineries and ono sido was completely ripped out. A vinery owned by Miss McKay and several others also suffered damage, and the grape crops arc jeopardised. , Tbo Kakanui vineries aro the largest in the Dominion. fho insurances arc almost negligible. Oamaru and the harvest area escaped the storm.