DAMAGE TO PROPERTY

Taranaki Daily News, 29 May 1933, Page 6

DAMAGE TO PROPERTY

GALE IN NORTH TARANAKI SOME BUILDINGS LOSE ROOFING. FENCES AND HOARDINGS SUFFER. SOME DELAY CAUSED SHIPPING. Damage was done to property at New Plymouth in the early hours of Saturday morning by the fierce south-easterly gale which swept the north of the province. The gale reached its greatest velocity during the night and the roofs of a few small buildings were blown off. Trees, fences and wireless poles were also found on Saturday morning to have suffered. By Saturday night the gale had diminished considerably, though it has made conditions very unpleasant for sport on Saturday. A large house in Water Lane, owned by Mrs. H. Lehrke, was partially unroofed at about 2.30 a.m. on Saturday. The corrugated iron was completely tom away from over three rooms on the southern side of the building, and rhe debris was carried for over 200 yards. At the corner of Young Street and Water Lane the verandah of a house was wrecked by flying iron and timber, and windows were smashed.

The gale caused anxiety for the safety of the smoke stack at the New Plymouth Sash and Door Company’s yards when a piece of timber helping to hold it in position snapped. Remedial measures were quickly taken to restore the stability of the chimney. About 20 yards of the roof of the verandah running along one of the firm’s timber sheds was removed by the wind. One section of the large hoardings opposite the railway station was blown down and wrecked. A temporary building nearby lost some of its iron. Gardens suffered extensively, and several large trees were blown down or broken by the force of the gale. Fences, too, suffered, and several were to be seen in the more exposed parts of the town either lying on the footpaths or propped up with additional stays. In Devon Street a wooden sign blew through a shop window, leaving a large hole.

A few electrical service leads were blown down, but the damage to the borough electrical system was of small consequence. A good deal of flickering occurred with the electric lights, this bemg due to temporary contacts on the main lines through branches being blown across them.

The gale caused inconvenience to. shipping at the port of New Plymouth, the Port Fairy being unable to sail on Friday night for Nelson. She was dispatched on Saturday morning by the harbourmaster, Captain O. F. Mclntyre, despite the gale. The seas at the port were moderate.