THE GALE.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 867, 12 October 1888, Page 2

THE GALE.

Yesterday week and Friday a northwest gale of more than usual severity visited this town. In the early part of Friday the wind brought great clouds, of dust from the Thorndon end,, which, sweeping along Lambton-quay;-"made it almost impassible for pedestrians to force their way along. The harbour was at times a Bheet of foam, and the water was dashed with great violence over the reclaimed land. Notwithstanding the high wind, but few oases of damage reported. In several parts of the town the ohimnoys have suffered more or less. A few fences in a shaky condition have beenblowndown. About noon a dray, straw-laden, was passing along Victoria-street. The load was a high one, and the wind, coming on brosdside, capsized dray, load, and horse. Fortunately,-no damage was sustained. A littlelater on a portion of the roof of a glass area at the rear of the National Mutual Insurance Company’s buildihg was blown in. Our Havelock correspondent wires that the gale was very severe in that district, and about noon heavy rain set in* The sea is high all around the coast. At Westport a portion of the western breakwater was washed away. Several open beats in Oriental Bay broke away away from their moorings,' and were washed esbore. About 11p.m. the gale died down to a calm. The sky at this time was very clear, but toward midnight the wind freshened up again. Our telegrams indicate that the gale was felt severely in the South Island. At Oamaru serious damage was done by disrooting a booth on the Eaceoourse, and completely destroying another erection. An outhouse caught fire—probably from some effect of the wind—aud a buggy’and harness got consumed in the flames. At Hokitika , the gale was very strong, with heavy rain, and all the rivers were flooded. In the Invercargill district the wind was* arm, and, with the heavy rain, melted the snow on the ranges, flooding all the rivers and causing much damage on the low-lying grounds. In Wellington the wind moderated after'midnight, and at 2 a.m. there were only occasional gust 3 of a mild nature, but the leather was still threatening.