SEVERE STORM

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22464, 7 July 1936, Page 10

SEVERE STORM

LINER IN DANGER

MOORING LINES SNAP

GALE AT NEW PLYMOUTH

DELAYS TO SHIPPING

[by TELEGRAPH —OWN CORKESPONDENT] NEW PLYMOUTH, Monday

Tho north-westerly storm that died down with a change of wind yesterday afternoon rose again during tho night. full force was felt at the port of New Plymouth, where tho 10,000-ton ship Runhino snapped several of her mooring lines and swung out by the stern from tho Moturoa Wharf.

Tho vessel was quickly secured at the stern by another wire hawser, and tho swing was stopped, but it required several hours of work, during which several more lines wero broken, before tho ship was mado snug against tho wharf again this morning. The strain on tho moorings was caused by the gale catching tho superstructure of tho ship when a.n abnormal spring tide lifted her high above tho wharf, combined with the unusual range in tho harbour caused by the wild seas outsido. Only tho Ruahine was seriously affected. Tho other vessels in port wero the Port Denison and Abel Tasman, and tho coastal vessels Inalia, Hauturu and Ilolinlea.

Ships arriving at tlio port in the past two clays have had to fight their way through terrific seas. The Huntingdon, on route from Dunedin, lias been delayod somewhere between the South Island and New Plymouth, and is believed to have sheltered in Cook Strait. She is expected to arrive tomorrow.

Heavy rain accompanied the gale yesterday. Tho Waiwakaiho River rose 15ft., but fortunately dropped rapidly. The galo chiefly affected telephone lines. The main telegraph linos between New Plymouth and Tc Kuiti and Auckland broke near Motunui about 2* p.m., but temporary repairs were soon made. DREDGE SINKS AT THAMES SALVAGE EFFORTS FAIL [by telegraph—OWN correspondent] THAMES, Monday

A violent north-westerly storm was responsible for the sinking of the Public Works dredge at the Burke Street Wharf. The dredge bad been cutting a channol from the wharf to low-water mark, and was moored about 500 yds. to the west of tho wharf, together with a long pipe-lino through which tho spoil is pumped. Some time during the night the dredge, which has very little freeboard, was filled by the waves and sank in about 15ft. of water.

The top of the housing only waa visible at high tide this morning. As tho tide foil efforts were made to salvage the dredge, but without success Heavy gear will bo necessary to cope with tho work. A verandah was blown off a house in Upper Richmond Street, and some electric-power poles were blown down and tho supply interrupted for about an hour yesterday afternoon. Tho Coast Road to Coromandel suffered again from erosion, but it is still open for traffic. CONDITIONS IN AUCKLAND FREQUENT HEAVY SQUALLS The weather in Auckland was again boisterous and wet yesterday. During the early hours of the morning severe squalls accompanied by heavy rain shook houses and wakened sleepers. During the day a fresh westerly wind prevailed and a heavy squall and shower was experienced in tho afternoon. During the evening the squalls and showers were frequent, the wind at times almost reaching gale force. The barometer remained exceptionally low. After being steady at 29..'50 in. all day it rose slightly in the evening. Unsettled conditions prevailed throughout the province. WELLINGTON SWEPT RECORD LOW BAROMETER [BY TELEGIUril —riticss ASSOCIATION*] WELLINGTON, Monday Wellington experienced a particularly boisterous week-end. The city yesterday was swept by a north-easterly galo and heavy driving rain. One hundred points of rain were recorded at Kelburn between ( J a.m. and p.m. The wind reached a velocity of 62 miles an hour, tho average being between 40 and 50 miles an hour. The weather to-day was fine, but a higli northerly wind continues. Ono gust of a velocity of 70 miles an hour was recorded at 7.45 a.m.

The barometer reading at Awarua at 5..50 a.m. to-day was 28.32 in., the lowest reading ever recorded in Wellington.