DESTRUCTIVE STORM

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22353, 26 February 1936, Page 16

DESTRUCTIVE STORM

DAMAGE IN SAMOA PLANTATIONS SUFFER r 1 ■■ [from our own correspondent] APIA, Feb. 10 On January 16 "Western Samoa experienced the worst storm for some years. Early in the morning a depression had developed to the south-east and by noon a fierce gale was blowing. The wind increased until at 8 p.m. the force had risen to nearly 70 miles an hour, and plantations in the outer districts commenced to suffer. A large banana crop had been cultivated, as the quota to New Zealand is over 12,000 cases a month. The heavy bunches were too much for tho plants, which came down in thousands under the force of the gale On some high level plantations not a plant was left standing, while on tho lower levels the damage was not so great. Trees crashed everywhere and roads were blocked. Many cocoa trees were blown over. Some were restored, but others were killed. The native houses suffered, a number being unroofed, and others demolished. Fortunately there was only one fatality, a native boy of six being killed while asleep in a hut when a coconut tree crashed through the roof. Many minor injuries were suffered by natives. At Aleipata, on the east coast, tbo full force of the storm was experienced. About 167 native houses were -wrecked and plantations ruined. The wireless station was destroyed, the shore lights blown away and annexes at the hos* pital damaged. "Fortunately the copra crop has not suffered a great deal. ith copra stalling at about £ls a ton and cocoa up to £54, the planters will be able to weather tho storm fairly well, but ?.t will be months befoxo tho banana trade recovers fully.