YESTERDAYS HURRICANE.

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13172, 3 February 1936, Page 5

YESTERDAYS HURRICANE.

A TRAIL OF DESOLATION.

PALMERSTON NORTH DAMAGE ESTIMATED AT £30,000.

The most devastating gale that has ever visited the Manawatu swept over city and district yesterday, leaving behind a trail of detsruction, the full sum of which it is impossible as yet to estimate. Commencing before daylight the gale, accompanied by torLgpvential rain increased in fury and destructiveness till towards mid-day it had reached hurricane force, the speed of the wind, at its height, being estimated at 100 miles per hour. Thousands of trees were uprooted or snapped off like carrots ; hundreds of houses were unroofed and in some cases almost entirely demolished; scores of windows, including many of plateglass in the shopping area, were blown in; and fences by the mile were razed to the ground. Palmerston North for once appeared to be the centre of the storm, and shows tragic evidence of the 8-hour bombardment. Among the major damage wrought was the almost total wrecking of the big stand at the A. and P. Showgrounds, while near Fending two aeroplanes were practically destroyed. An excursion train was partly blown off the line at Makerua and some of the passengers slightly injured. One fatality occurred in the city, an elderly man being killed while endeavouring to mend the roof of his house. It is estimated that the total damage in Palmerston North alone will not be less than £30,000, while the adjacent towns and surrounding countryside may raise the total bill to six figures. While Palmerston North apparently received the severest handling, the gale raged in varying degrees of intensity from a few miles north of the Manawatu Gorge right down to Wellington where shipping suffered and damaged was done to buildings and gardens. Curiously enough, althouggh a south-easterly caused the trouble, it did comparatively little damage on the other side of the range. There, however, rain of an almost tropical character threatened both Hawke’s Bay and Wairarapa with serious floods, and produced a dangerous situation in the Manawatu river, which at 1 o’clock this morning had reached the 14 feet level, which means serious flooding in the lower reaches to-day. The Feilding-Awahuri road between Boness road and Kitchener Park in under water and motorists could not get through at an early hour this morning.

BAD TO WORSE. Friday last brought threats of bad weather for Saturday last, hut the dav broke fairly fine. It was not until early afternoon that light ram set in to make conditions decidedly oppressive and unpleasant. About 7 30 o’clock heavy rain tell and, just after midnight, the wind rose quic-k----iv to gale force. .. ' Throughout the night buildings swayed, creaked and trembled as the gusts of terrific- force pounded the city and district. . , , Dawn brought with it a desolate scene. Driving rain was swept along deserted streets, trees bent before the gale, and debris could be noticed lying in corners everywhere, POWER SHUT OFF. The street lights had been shilling throughout the night, but with davlight the power was shut oft m the town 'for safety sake. \Y ireless poles had been broken off short or had been blown over, fences torn down, houses unroofed and other buildings wrecked. The telephone service in the city continued to function m sections, but calls to outside towns were completely suspended. Power lines down everywhere had fortunately been "killed,’’ hut many people had narrow escapes from injury by flying material. RAIN ENTERS HOMES. Rain, driven through windows and cracks in the walls did damage in many homes. Even, tiled .roofs did not escape the force of the elements and manv were wrecked. Just alter mid-day the scene in tche city was almost beyond description and it was impossible to enumerate the damage done at various points. Large and small plate-glass windows in the business area had caved in and stock had to be hurriedly removed and the gaps l>oarded up. Verandahs in some eases had fallen in and large pieces of timber and iron hurled across the streets. BUILDINGS COMPLETELY CO LLAPSE. One or two buildings collapsed bodily and in two cases petrol stations suffered extensively. In Rangitikei street a large woodmen structure used as a motor-car 'upholstery factory collapsed in a Leap and the roof came to rest on a pile of debris. . A fifty-foot glass house in Jickell street al so co I lapsed. The Terrs ce End railway station —a small building—was lifted bodily at noon and was hurled across to be deposited on the roadway where it fell to pieces like a pack of cards.

GRANDSTAND IN RUINS. One of the largest grandstands in the Dominion—the main one sit the Showgrounds—was reduced to a “tangled heap. The sides giving away above the tiers of seating, the upper portion came down with a resounding noise. Crowds went through the broken fence to - witness the sight, ''rhe smaller stand—with its rear to the gale—did not fare so badly, although pieces were torn from the roof. Trees in the Showgrounds area were uprooted and other damage caused. Some idea of the loss sustained witli the wrecking of the large stand may Ik; gained from the fact that it is insured for £2OOO. At the Hokowhitu golf course the roof of the clubhouse was torn about and windows smashed. Trees wore uprooted all over the course and plate-glass in one case driven 200 away - ESTDENCES LOSE ROOFS. Tn Palm avenue portion of the -roof .of a house could be -seen on the

road. A residence in Manawaroa street was completely wrecked, others in various parts of the city being broken about by ‘Tailing chimneys, etc. A storey and a half house in course of erection was soon changed from orderly framework to a jumbled mass of four by two’s and scantlings. In another case the root departed from a two-floor home. CONDITIONS AT HOSPITAL. The beautiful grounds at the Public Hospital were soon in a state of utter disorder, large Drees crashing down across the lawns and paths. A group of nurses had a narrow escape when, they dodged away from bricks flying /from a chimney on the Nurses’ Home. Ward 4—the old wooden building recently renovated —had to be vacated when some windows were blown in and a ventilator t-orn off. The rain came in and 15 women patients, who behaved admirably in the circumstances, were shifted to other wards. Other windows at the institution were broken, a small verandah collapsed and the roof of the maternity home cottage was affected. Like others in the town where only electricity is used for domestic purposes the nurses at the home had to put ui) with the predicamentof having no cooking appliance. However, steam was available and vegetables, etc., were cooked in this "manner. ESPLANADE FEELS BLOW. Teaming into and through the thick native growth at the Victoria Esplanade the gale took enormous toll of the valuable trees, flowers and shrubs there. From Fitzherbert avenue the motor-drive could be noticed under a line of fallen trees, it being impossible to get through by car from that end. The tea-kiosk, signs and garden plots throughout suffered extensively. Weeks and weeks of toil will be necessary to bring the area back to a semblance of its original beauty, and no art or skill can replace the numerous magnificent trees which have been uprooted. AWAP UNI COURSE SUFFER S. It was reported last evening that portions of the roo*s of both stands at the Manawatu Racing Club s property at Awapuni had been blown off, but it was difficult to get close to the course -owing to fallen trees. The totalisator is stated to be still intact. The scene of the forthcoming M.C.C.. cricket match in Fitzherbert avenue makes a sorry spectacle. Lengths of lences have fallen out bodily on to the footway, the sight screens, etc., have blown over and the pavilion is wrecked. Cricket enthusiasts were yesterday busily engaged removing gear from the main structure in the hope that it would be ready for the big match to-mor-row.

Swept by the driving wind and rain the Manawatu Bowling, Croquet and Tennis Club’s grounds were also badly affected Nets were blown about and torn, large sections of netting bent and ruined and the roof of the clubhouse knocked around considerably. Linton street courts, the property oF the Palmerston North Tennis Club, will be out of order for a period. The entrance down a right-of-way from the street was partially blocked by fallen trees while a hasty examination revealed much damage to the two-floor pavilion. TWO PLANES DESTROYED. One of the most serious individual losses arising from yesterday’s devastating wind storm was the destruction el two aeroplanes at the Feilding. Aero Club’.- aerodrome at Parorangi. These ’planes, an Avro and a Spartan, were the property cf

Mr H. M. Oram, of Palmerston North, a pioneer of civil aviation in the Manawatu. The wind of hurricane force which covered the whole of the back country, swept across the Paiorangi ground to take the small ’drome building of iron in its course, and expose to its devastating might the two aeroplanes which had been considered safe and secure. Deprived of their protection from the elements, the machines were quickly tossea about as matchwood and in a very little time were complete wrecks. Offering little resistance to the wind, the machines came to pieces with fragments scattered in all directions. News of the trouble was brought to Feilding by passing mqtoristsi, who had secured pieces of the wrecked ’planes as mementos of the occasion. To those who saw the wrecked machines they presented a dismal sight and were seemingly damaged beyond repair. Mr Oram stated last evening that he valued the ’planes at £.IOOO. EXCURSION TRAIN DERAILED. Several persons were Injured, two sufficiently to need medical attention and one having to be sent to hospital, when two» passenger coaches and the guard’s van of the second excursion train from Palmerston North to Wellington yesterday were blown off the line near Makerua. The train, comprising seven coaches and a van, left Palmerston North ta 9.7. a.m. It had been preceded by the first Oif the excursion trains at 8.35 and by an excursion train from Wanganui a, little later. “It was blowing a gale when we left,’’ said the guard, Mr H. Shirley, of Palmerston North, when in conversation with a reporter last evening, “and the further we went the worse it became. After we left Longburn 1 could not walk between the carriages, so hard was the wind blowing. “About hall-a-mile on the Palmerston North side of Makerua., a gale of wind caught the last two cars and the van and threw them over the bank into the makerua swamp-—at present dry but in winter under water—where they landed oil their sides, about 12 feet down and 12 feet from the line.” Fortunately the couplings between the derailed cars and the rest of the train broke, and the Westinghouse brakes were automatically applied to the portion of the train still cn the line, it coming to a standstill after going on another three chains. Prior to the mishap the train was travelling. at about 25 miles an hour. Of the two derailed passenger coaches the one nearest to the van wa. s a first-class carriage, containing only one passenger, but the other, a second-class car. carried between 2 ) and 30 travellers, more than in any other carriage oil the train. The guard’s van and the first-class carriage came to rest still coupled together. hut the other carriage finished about a car’s length away. In both carriages the windows were broken and the chairs and other fixtures wrenched from their positions. The passengers in the second-class car were thrown all over the place, a number receiving injuries. Fortunately a door was free and the passengers being able to crawl out, assistance being given those who were injured. The only passenger in the first-class car was a. man, for whomj the door had to be priced open. Fortunately he escaped injury. Mr Shirley, the guard, the only occupant of the van, wasi thrown into a. ''corner, receiving a bruised arm, leg and back, a s well as Temporary concussion from ji hit on the head. He had to break a window to get out of the van..

YEIIY HEAVY FLOOD FEARED. MANAWATU RIVER RISES RAPIDLY. From a normal summer level of lit. Gin., the Manawatu liver rose rapidly during yesterday afternoon. The Fitzherbert bridge gauge recorded 2ft. at noon, but by 3 p.m. it had reached Oft. At 6 p.m. the level was lift. ; at 8 p.m., lift. 9in. ; at 8.30 p.m., 12ft. 3in. ; and a£ 10 p.m., 13ft. At 11 p.m.* 13ft. was clocked, and at midnight, 13ft. 6in. Fifteen minutes later the gauge showed 13ft. 9in., and at 1 a.m. the 14 ft. level had been passed ; at 2.30 a.m., 14ft. 6in.

Floods over 12ft. are considered to he serious. The highest level recorded at Fitzherbert bridge since the gauge has been installed was 15ft. Gin., in November, 192 G. By mid-morning the Tainui basin and' the Moutoa swamp will almost certainly be under water. Then the Palmerston North-Foxton highway, the Shannon-Foxton highway and the Whirokino highway will be covered during the day. The force ot this flood will place a severe strain upon the banks protecting the Koputaroa and Makerua areas.

The reports of the* rains in Hawke’s Bay, whence the Manawatu liver rises, indicate that a very large volume of water will come through the gorge during to-day.

P.N. RESIDENT KILLED. STRUCK BY FLYING IRON. Death came tragically to a city resident yesterday during the disastrous visitation to Palmerston North. The victim was; Mr Benjamin Arthur Miller, aged 72, u retired man living at Elmira avenue. He fell from a roof and sustained a fractured skull. About 9 a.m. deceased had gone to an adjacent house to telephone for a. local builder and, with the gale blowing, started to climb to the roof of his house evidently to repair damage. A piece of iron blew off the roof and struck Mr Miller oil tho head and caused him to roll off the porch to the ground. Deceased leaves a widow and a grown-up family. AIR, LINERS MADE SAFE.

One of the Union Airways’ large air liners was pegged down at Milson airport, hut a second DHBG was housed in the new big commercial hangar and escaped buffeting. Naturally the scheduled run from Palmerston North to Dunedin was not undertaken. "Flu* excellent work of pegging down the machines was a distinct credit to the ground staff.

A corrugated iron garage in Keeling street, used to house horse-floats, was blown completely away about mid-day yesterday. The only indication that a building had occupied the site were the two floats standing uncovered to the wind. ROAD CONDITIONS. Mr S. I. McKenzie, secretary of the Automobile Association (Manawatu), made the following statement in, reference to road conditions last evening : Palmerston North-Wellington : The road is open but care is required between Palmerston North and Rangiotu, owing to fallen trees. Palmerston North-Wanganui: This highway is also open but north of Wanganui there is a slip at Kai Iwi and another blockage at Patea. Wanganui-Taihape: There are slips on the Parapara and the road is impassable.

Palmerston Noith-H awke’s Bay: Manawatu Gorge has been open all the time but is dangerous, owing to stray boulders failing. It is understood there are floods around Hastings and Napier but the extent of these is unknown.

Wairarapa: There are also floods in the Wairarapa. Water was running into Masterton this afternoon. The Rangitikei river is reported to be heavily in flood.

Wairarapa-Wellington: A big slip has occurred on the Rimutakas. “The bulk of this information has not been confirmed but is the best available,” said Mr McKenzie. PAHT.ATUA PARTY’S ROUGH TRIP.

A Herald repoiter visited Wellington yesterday and teound that the gale did not appear to strike the city with the same force as at Palmerston North. There seemed to be little damage—the two major happenings being the breaking away firom anchor of the s.s. John and her subsequent stranding and the extensive damage to the dressing sheds of the Te Aro baths, which floated out into the harbour and had to be rescued by launches. S.S. JOHN ASHORE. .

The Holm Line steamer John presented a sorry sight when seen late yesterday afternoon, when the Pahiatua man visited the scene of the happening, which is at a point close to the overhead bridge on the Hutt Road. The steamer is right up ou the concrete breastwork and was receiving a severe bartering "from the heavy seas which were lashing the roadway. Hundreds of ears visited the scene and it was quite apparent that unless the weather abated the steamer would be a total loss. DAMAGE ON THE MAIN HIGHWAY.

On the return journey the reporter had difficulty in negotiating a slip at Poriruai and then a mile further on men were busy cutting through a large tree which was blocking the roadway. From then onwards to Paekakariki telegraph pole* were out of alignment and trees in number were down on the roadway. The Otaki River was in flood and its waters were within a foot of the decking. In Otaki itself as darkness was falling the reporter noticed numerous small buildings blown down, verandahs completely vanished and m one bowser station the glass tops of the pumps were gone. At Manakau a small building attached to a factory was partially demolished.

In the vicinity of Longburn the storm levelled the telegraph posts along the road for about a mile, wires being broken at various points along the route. The road from Himatangi had been blocked by macroearpa trees blown from the right-hand side of the road, but the ends had been cut just sufficient to enable cars to pass through. There was no sign of any water over the road beyond* the Whirokino bridge and the only river seriously in flood wag the Otaki which was bank to bank and ready to overflow near the bridge. GORGE SAFE. The trip through the gorge was made about midnight and although some big boulders crashed down as the ear went through there was no serious danger and no sign of slips. The road from Mangatainoka was badly pot-holed by the rain and caused the ear to bump severely until the asphalt was reached. The river at Ngawapurua was running very high.