SEVERE STORM OF WIND AND RAIN.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4220, 29 September 1874, Page 3

SEVERE STORM OF WIND AND RAIN.

In writing of the weather during tho last two or three days, we should rather speak of it as having been a succession of storms difforing in character but equally severe in their way. The squally weather of Saturday ended in a dead calm early on Sunday, followed by a. IDht air from the south-east. But Sunday morning broke in gloom, the hills around were all but invisible in cloud and mist, or totally eclipsed, the water was motionless, and a heavy soaking rain fell all day long, completely banishing all thoughts of out-door exercise, or trips to tho Hutt, and nearly clearing the streets of pedestrians throughout the day. This calm, however, was but tho herald of another storm. Notwithstanding the rise of the barometer after the bad weather previously experienced, there was evidence on Saturday of the approach of another rapid fall, which set in at Manukau and Cambridge on Sunday; at the former place the barometer fell three tenths, and at the latter four tenths on that day. Yesterday, the daily report gave information of the probability of a severe gale from the westward at Auckland, Tauranga, and intermediate ports ; and also that bad weather would he experienced from the north towards tho south-east on the oast and west of the Middle Island. Tho anticipations of tho observers of the signs of the weather were speedily fulfilled. The rain on Sunday had before night flooded Greytovn in the Wairarapa, doing a great deal of damage to shops, houses, gardens, &c., and at Westport, Greymouth, and Hokitika occasioning heavy floods, one contingent consequence of which at Greymouth was the stranding of the Wairarapa, and the somewhat serious peril to His Honor Judge Richmond and other passengers, to which we alluded yesterday. During Sunday night, the rain increased in severity in Wellington. About 6 o’clock a.m., tho barometer began to fall very rapidly, and soon afterwards a very strong gale, still apcompanied by drenching rain, set in, both rain and wind continuing all day long; and while we write the storm continues. Great as has been tho rainfall this winter, Sunday and Monday may fairly he set down as having been the wettest of a wot and stormy season.

After sunset the rain increased in density, and the streets, which had been well washed throughout the day, became little better than deep streams of running water. The first reports from tho different parts of the Colony, which were posted at Parliament House yesterday morning, did not indicate the prevalence of severe weather in any part of the Middle Island; those which came in later in the day were to the effect that heavy winds, from north-west to south-west and south-east, were blowing, with heavy rains. On the West Coast the weather appeared to have been particularly severe, as will be seen from the telegrams in another column. In our own neighborhood, the Wairarapa seems to have suffered the most from the rains. The water was reported last night as beiug three feet deep in Greytown, and the road had become impassable, so that the mail coaches were unable to pass up or down. We shall, no doubt, hear of great damage being done there, as well as in the valley of the Hutt. In town, no particular damage was done, though a landslip behind Willia-street, near the back of the Commercial Hotel, has been considerably, if not dangerously increased, and leaves the inmates of the houses perched there in a somewhat uncomfortable position. At the wharf, business was all but suspended, in consequence of the heavy rain, aud the sailing of the Phoebe for the North was, of necessity, postponed until to-day. The Taranaki sailed for the South at sunset, and if she had a dark aud dirty night outside, would at least have a fair wind across the Strait. The three-masted schooner Marion, loaded with ironwork for Greymouth, lying far up towards Te Aro shore, drifted somewhat in the height of the gale, but not into any danger, as her draught of water is'light.