DAMAGE BY GALE

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18388, 4 May 1934, Page 8

DAMAGE BY GALE

ROTORUA IN DARKNESS WINDOWS BLOWN IN (Per Press Association.) ROTORUA, this day. Rotorua had dinner last evening by candlelight, lamplight, or any other light available, the whole town being in darkness until shortly before 7 p.m. The main power supply from Arapuni was broken by trees falling across the line, while six power poles were blown over at Mourea, and prevented the standby plant at Qkere being brought into action. One of the uprooted trees in 'Fenton street broke telephone communication with the south during the afternoon, while a number of trees were uprooted in various parts of the to.wn and the surrounding districts. Windows were blown in in several cases, and some tiles were blown off the roof of the Post Office.

Lake Rotorua was very rough, and several launches and boats broke their moorings and were washed up on the foreshore. A fire alarm sounded during the period of darkness, the old firebell being used owing to the fact that the electric siren could not be operated. BUILDINGS UNROOFED WHAKATANE’S EXPERIENCE (Per Press Association.) WHAKATANEi, this day. The most severe storm for several years was experienced here last night, and damaged buildings on the waterfront to the extent of several hundreds of pounds. A north-easterly gale unroofed the service station portion of the Rotorua Motor Transport Company, a new building, Dent’s boat building sited, and the Atlantic Oil Company’s depot. A fish .smoke house collapsed, and several motor sheds and fences were blown down. Trees were uprooted and haystacks damaged in many parts of the district. The force of the wind backed up the tide and caused the water to encroach on the roadway and wharf shed approaches. The rainfall for 48 hours was 2.31 in. AUCKLAND SUFFERS HOUSES THREATENED (Per Press Association.) AUCKLAND, this day. Heavy rain fell in Auckland last night, and it is drizzling to-day. The total fall for 24- hours up to 9 o’clock was 2iin. A further heavy fall seems likely. , The most serious damage done by the gale was at Milford Beach, where the seas raised were stronger than in any storm since 1913, The waves pounded the stone walls of sections with a beach frontage, and at high tide, towards midnight-, several walls collapsed. The seas then rapidly ate away the sandy sections and threatened to undermine houses. Some residents were considerably alarmed, and as the weather con* tinuevS to be threatening there is a possn bility that at least one residence will be demolished by the high sens tonight. The work of residents in improving sections for many years has been undone, and the damage runs into thousands of pounds.