HURRICANE IN SOUTH SEAS

Southland Times, Issue 24004, 20 December 1939, Page 8

HURRICANE IN SOUTH SEAS

Extensive Damage In New Hebrides 0 VALUABLE FRUIT DESTROYED (United Press Association) AUCKLAND, December 19. A graphic story of the hurricane that swept the New Hebrides, levelling all buildings in its path and uprooting trees was told when the Melanesian Mission ship, Southern Cross, arrived at Auckland after a 15 months’ trip to the islands. The motor-ship encountered the full blast of the hurricane and with its twin engines running at full speed stood practically still in the face of an 80-miles-an-hdur wind, three miles off the island of Toga. The only damage was to a life-boat which was tom from its lashings and smashed in the raging sea. The scene of devastation bn the island of Aoba was described by the Rev. H. Reynolds, of Wellington, a missionary who is on furlough. He stated that the night was a terrible one and that all the buildings had been razed including the native church and school. More serious, however, was the loss of trees and fruit at the school. A new orange grove had been established and the fruit was ripening for the first crop. Every tree was uprooted, some being blown to the top of a mountain. Coco-nut trees were blown over or stripped of all their fruit and foliage while bananas and limes were ripped and battered, the ground being carpeted with a thick coating of fruit.