SEVERE GALE

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 7977, 7 December 1911, Page 1

SEVERE GALE

HAVOC IN THE SOUTH H.M.S. POWERFUL STEAMS OUT TO 3 SEA. ’ GRANDSTAND ROOF SHIFTED, t t ' PRESS ASSOCIATION* 1 CHRISTCHURCH, December- 6. A very violent north-west gale blew ia the city to-day, and tho gusts were exceptionally strong.Tho galo was at its height about mid- 1 j day. At Lancaster Park the roof of , the stand on tho east side of tho ground j ) was lifted bodily and tho larger portion ; - deposited on -the roofs of houses in Wil- ’ [ son’s road. A largo portion was do- ; posited on tho front part of a house, making a gaping hole in tho roof amt smashing tho verandah. The damage m estimated at .£ISOO. At Lyttelton tho squalls wore of exr ' t traordimary violence, raising a heavy sea i in the outer harbour and whit-ling clouds- , ■ of spray high in tho air. v ; H.M.S. Powerful, anchored in tho stream, caught tho full force of tho gale, and at 10 a.m. went off to- sea. ; His Excellency tho Governor was to have visited Vice-Admiral KingdHall, bu< ■: the visit was cancelled. 1 Tho wind has abated somewhat, and indications ano that it is shifting to tho south-west. IN ASHBURTON - , THEATRE WALL BLOWN DOWN. '. A NARROW ESCAPE. ' t ASHBURTON, December 6. « A■ strong nor’-west gale blew at Ashburton all the morning, and about 9.30 it blew down tho north-west brick wall of the now theatre udw in course oferection. The wall for its whole length, was completely demolished,, almost level, with tho ground. It was 28 feet high. : and about 100 feet long. The rest of the ■wall'Will also have to come down. It is feared that the south-w-est wall is also badly shaken, as it was seen to sway v badly several times. When the north- ; west wall caved in men were fastening ropes with a view to saving it, and one. man had to jump a considerable distance from the scaffolding to tho ground. He . escaped without injury. . DUNEDIN PEELS IT LITTLE GIRL INJURED. RAILWAY HUT DESTROYED. DUNEDIN, December 8, t A heavy south-westerly gale has pro- i | vailed in. 'Dunedin, and for a consider- - ? able distance northand south, to-day ’ and well into the evening. Considerable ;:S damage, chiefly of a■ minor nature, was 1 done. ■ • At Henley, a-, little girl .named Jessie Reid, while taking a message to the rail- ; i way station, was struck by a piece of . the roofing of a goods shed which hod i been,dislodged; and sustained a bad frac- a turo of tbe, right leg, besides being severely bruised. Tho girl was removed •. to the hospital. i -The tablet porter’s hut at Pnrakunrui; i was blown over and caught fire, being; burnt down. . It is also reported that two private ■ ’ residences at Purakanui _wero blown down. - :,',i