GALE AMONG THE BOOTHS

Taranaki Daily News, 12 June 1930, Page 13

GALE AMONG THE BOOTHS

SIDE-SHOWS SUFFER DAMAGE. The furious mountain gale played havoc with the outside booths at the New Plymouth winter show yesterday. Trade was not very brisk with the showmen in the early portion of the afternoon, the gusty squalls seeming to forbid the sightseers within the main buildings to venture outside. Suddenly, during the afternoon, a great wind rose and tore a number of ,the flimsy canvas stalls from their earth holds. Canvas was ripped and rent, and in some cases whole tents disappeared into the back of the section. Those facing the wind received - the full brunt of the gale, and last night bare scantlings lit by the swaying lights testified to its severity. Some of the stalls were temporarily deserted and stared like eerie black eyes on the crowds clustering around the more fortunate side-shows.

The damage done was very disconcerting to the showmen, and has caused a considerable amount of disorganisation. Yet, when the wind subsides it will take a very short time for the booths to be re-erected. Even later in the evening several of the more enterprising, or less damaged, had made sufficient repairs to carry on. The weather has hit some of the showmen hard, but most of them seemed to take it as “part of the game.” As the reporter left four men were counting the day’s earnings. “Sixteen bob,” remarked the chief treasurer, as he jingled the money philosophically. “A dollar a piece, but we’ll pick up as soon as the weather clears.” GALE IN SOUTH TARANAKI. BITTERLY COLD CONDITIONS. A southerly gale, reaching almost hurricane force at times, raged through South Taranaki last night. Intermittent showers of hail and sleet made conditions more unpleasant, and the thermometer reached the low level of 42 degrees F. In Hawera several fences were blown down and shop verandah curtains were in many instances stripped’ to ribbons. Motor traffic experienced great difficulty in making headway on the more exposed portions on the Main South Road, the force of the wind in one case being sufficient to blow away the hood of a car. Several telephone wires between Hawera and New Plymouth were broken.

The gale showed no sign of abating at midnight.