DAMAGE BY GALE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20257, 17 May 1929, Page 12

DAMAGE BY GALE.

NEW PLYMOUTH SWEPT. ROOF TORN FROM HOUSE. [by telegraph.—own correspondent.] NEW PLYMOUTH, Thursday. A fierce south-easterly gale, which has raged in New Plymouth since Saturday, reached a climax last night and has left a trail of destruction. The wind at times reached hurricane force and there has been little moderation to-day.

In the height of the gale startling experiences befell Mr. and Mrs. J. Campbell, who reside in Tukapa Street. With a rending crash about 30ft. of the roof of. their house was lifted bodily and, after cutting and breaking through a number of overhead electric light and tramway wires, finished in a twisted mass of iron and woodwork in a gateway in Dorset Avenue. Mr. and Mrs. Campbell, who had not retired, hastily took refuge in the residence of a neighbour. The escaping current from the broken wires gave a display resembling lightning and both electric light and tramway systems were interrupted., A gang of men was on the scene at 5 a.m. and the electricity service was restored comparatively early and the trams were running at 11 a.m. Two large implement shocls on Mr. A.' C. Bendair's farm on (Jie outskirts of the town were wrecked and the contents damaged. Wireless, aerials, chimneys and fences suffered badly in all parts of* the borough. Some damage was done in Pukekura Park, where 30ft. pungas were snapped off like carrots. The curator has warned people against walking beneath large pine trees while the gale lasts. He estimates that a week's work by the whole staff will be necessary to clean up the debris caused, by the svind. A haystack owned by a suburban resident disappeared in the night. In another case the top was lifted from a stack and much of the hay carried away. Many electric lighting wires were down and the borough electrical engineer, Mr. W. H. Haggett, stated that most of the breakages were due to trees and various sections of the town had to be isolated while repairs were made. No serious interruption has taken place in the telegraph servico. At Omata two poles were broken and work to Opunake was disorganised for some time. A slot telephone box at Westown was blown over. All services have been restored, but. the lines aro working badly, owing to leakages.