SEVERE STORM

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22403, 27 April 1936, Page 12

SEVERE STORM

HOUSE BLOWN DOWN FIRE DESTROYS WRECKAGE SHIPS AT WHARF BUFFETED VISITATION IN TARANAKI [by telegraph—own correspondent] NEW PLYMOUTH, Sunday The coast of the North Taranaki Bight on Thursday night, Friday and yesterday morning experienced heavy winds, wild seas and abnormal spring tides, and on Thursday night another of the cyclonic disturbances which have visited Taranaki in recent months cut a swath through the countryside at, Ononui, on Cape Egmont. Ifc wrecked the house of a Maori, Mr. Manu Mitchell, and the debris of the dwelling was reduced to ashes by fire. The cyclone also destroyed several sheds and uprooted many trees in a pathway several chains wide. The occupants of Mr. Mitchell's house had left a lamp burning while they went out to attend to duties about, their farm. While they were away the cyclone tore across country and wrecked the building, which, in collapsing, caught firo and was quickly reduced to ashes. Coining from the direction of the sea, the visitation apparently spent itself in Mount Egmont National Park. At the height of the gale and the spring tide in the early hours of Friday morning, shipping at the port of New Plymouth was considerably buffeted. The tramp steamer Salvus, which was recently ashore at Wliangarei, and the motor-ship Durham both snapped several mooring lines and bumped heavily against the wharves. They were restrained by the remaining hawsers until, with considerable difficulty, they were made snug by the Harbour Board staff and their own crews. The coastal vessels Karu and Hauturu were not seriously affected, and the small craft anchored in the harbour rode out the storm safely. Jn places the storm was accompanied by heavy rain. At mid-dav yesterday tlie wind had dropped and the rain ceased suddenly. Tho weather since then has been perfect, with warm sunshinb and without even a breath of wind.