SEVERE GALE.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 625, 25 January 1884, Page 20

SEVERE GALE.

Another storm of extraordinary violence was experienced on Monday. The moderate southerly breeze which was experienced on Sunday gradually freshened towards midnight, the sky at the Bame time becoming overcast,, but up to 2 a.m. yesterday there was no indication of very bad weather. At that hour,, however,, the barometer began to fall rapidly, and a steady - rain set in. The wind continued: to increase, until by 10 o’clock it was blowing a furious gale from the S.E. This was accompanied by heavy and uninterrupted rain, which made outdoor life exceedingly unpleasant ; indeed, no one ventured out of doors except on urgent business. Movements among shipping were entirely suspended, and not a single vessel was working her hatches, as the torrents of rain would have instantly soaked everything that was not impervious to water. Due precautions having been taken, there was no accident whatever among the shipping at the wharves, and all the boats and s moored in the harbor had also escaped injury, so far as we could ascertain last night. About 5 p.m. the wind suddenly shifted to S.W. and blew with redoubled force, tbe harbor for a time having more the appearance of a large snowdrift than that of a land-locked sheet of water. Since 7 p.m. the direction of the wind has been due south. Except that the Foxton coach reached town in safety, reporting bad weather all along the coast, no news has been received from the country districts ; there is, however, every likelihood of all rivers being bank-high this morning. Apparently the storm raged all over the colony, and there is only too much reason to fear that almost incalculable damage has been done to ripening crops. The barometer, which at midnight of the 20fch registered 29'78, had fallen to 29'40 by noon Monday, while at 6 p.m. it read 29T0. Afterwards it became very sensitive, with a alight upward tendency, the midnight reading being 29'18. At 2 o’clock Tuesday morning the wind had slightly moderated, and appeared to be drawing away somewhat to the westward. The rain, however, came down heavier than ever, while the glass was about the same as it stood at midnight. The gale held till noon and then broke, but blew in fitful, heavy gusts till Wednesday morning, when finer weather set in. (UNITED press ASSOCIATION.) Wanganui, January 21. North-west gales and heavy rains have lasted uninterruptedly for 24 hours, and there is no sign of abatement. The weather is bitterly cold, and gloomy accounts as to the effect upon growing crops come in on every side, and the destruction of grain in some parts of the district, especially northwards up the coast, is so great that . farmers deem it useless to cut the wheat, but intend to turn cattle into tke fields to consume it a 3 fodder. The cry of scarcity of labor is now changing into anxiety as to how laborers can be employed during the autumn and winter.