THE WEATHER IN THE NORTH.

Otago Witness, Issue 2104, 21 June 1894, Page 12

THE WEATHER IN THE NORTH.

DISASTROUS FLOODS IN HAWKE'S BAY.

A DESTRUCTIVE GALE.

Auckland, June 18.

Heavy rain fell yesterday and to-day, with a heavy gale last night. Vessels arriving ropoit heavy weather on the coast, and coasters are taking shelter. The weather is cold, and it ia still raining.

New Plymouth, June 18.

The heaviest south-easterly gale ever felt here was blowing all yesterday and during the night. It has not yet expended itself. The new roof on a house was blown off, the High School chimneys were snapped off at the roof, and the National Bank had its roof so damaged that men had to go to repair it yesterday. Fences are down in all directions, including one at the railway station. The totalisator house on the racecourse and the stables at Wcetman's house have been blown down. The church at Omata is a wreck. The velocity of the gale averaged 36*2 miles per hour, and during 24 hours the gale had travelled 870 miles. Mr Neale, at the Government Observatory here, says that the wind blew at times with hurricane force.

Hawera, Jane 19.

The gale has been severe during the past two days, and another span of the Opunake jetty haß goner

Napier, June 18. It has been raining heavily here since Saturday night, and shows no Bigns of abating. The rivers are in high flood, and a heavy sea is running in the bay.

Reports from Clive state that the township is considerably under water. The mouth of Ngarurqro river is very bad, and further trouble is feared unless the weather abates. It is still raining heavily. The Meanee and Fapakura settlers will again suffer owing to the flood waters on their lands. The usual weekly Taupo and Kuripapangi coaches could not get through, the rivers being impassable. All round the district shepherds are mustering sheep and taking them to higher ground. At hastings even the December flood was not so high. Later.

Heavy rain has fallen almost without lull since Saturday evening, and heavy floods are reported from the low-lying parts at Clive. The residents have all left their houses and are living in the hotels, boats having been taken up in the afternoon. At Hastings there is much more water than at the December floods. Meanee was also much deeper under water until an embankment burst. No loss of life is reported, and as the waters rose steadily most of the stock was removed to higher ground, but many small settlers will be ruined, as they bad just got fresh crops into the ground after their losses in December, and all has been swept away. At Wairoa the flood is the highest ever known, and heavy losses of stock are reported. Jane 19.

The flood was at its highest at about 7 o'clock. At high tide the Ngaruroa river had spread across to Farndon, and the road between the hotel and the big bridge was submerged. Great anxiety was felt lest the Tukikuki should overflow and join the Ngaruroa river, but Wilson's bank at Mangateretere withstood the strain and prevented further damage. The efforts of the men who had been working ab the mouth of the river proved successful in making an outlet, which saved the country from further inundation. At Meanee and the low-lying country surrounding nothing but a huge sheet of water meets the eye. The settlers this time, however, had ample warning, and so bad an opportunity of preparing for the flood. AH the people at Clive were removed from their houses during the day, in case the worst happened at night. It is still (noon) raining. Denis Lynch has been found drowned in a creek at Onga Onga. He leaves relatives at Auckland and Hamilton.

Good mouths having been made to all the rivers, and the rain being lees constant, the floods on the plains are subsiding.

Wellington, June 18. A heavy southerly gale, accompanied by heavy rain, has been blowing since Saturday night. The weather is bitterly cold. 'Captain Edwin states that the severe southerly gales which have been prevalent all over the North Island since Saturday evening have been caused by there being a cyclone centre to the westward of Three Eing3 about noon on that day, and travelling to the southeast, meeting an area of high pressure or anticyclone which was to the westward of the South Island at the same time and advancing to the aouth. Both systems have so acted on each other as to cause a change of route, which has taken the cyclone centre more towards the east, and the anti-cyclone more to the southward than usual. The lowest pressure of the cyclone, which was from 80 to 100 miles north of the North Gape at noon to-day, is 29in, and the highest pressure 'of the anti-cyclone, which was S.S.E. of Stewart Island, is estimated at 3040 in. Nelson, June 18. The south-east gale which commenced on Saturday night and continued for some 24 hours did a good deal of damage through the Wangamoa Valley on the road to Havelock. At Happy Valley the stables of Newman Bros., coach proprietors, were blown clean down, but the horses escaped injury. A great many trees were blown across the road. Till all these can be removed travelling will be both difficult and dangerous, but a day or two will put matters right. Christciiurch, June 18. The weather is cloudy and bitterly cold.

The life of H. Naphtali, who died at Napier on the 13th inst., was insured for £1000. The Mutual Life office held £250, Australian Mutual office £250, and the Government £500. The last-named policy is held by the Colonial Bank,