ROUGH WEATHER.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 13536, 12 October 1907, Page 5

ROUGH WEATHER.

GALES AT AUCKLAND. ONEHUNGA SHIPPING DELAYED. Per Press Association. AUCKLAND, October 11. Stormy weather prevails all along the coast, and shipping is delayed at various points. The scow Zingara, bound from Gisborne to Mangonui, -put into Auckland last night to shelter from the gale. The . barques Aldebaran and James Craig, which left port over a week ago, aro still in the Gulf, where they have been detained by the weather. All the coastal vessels report a heavy sea and stormy weather on the coast. A strong westerly gale is blowing on the West Coast. The sea on the Manukau bar is exceptionally heavy, and the Onehunga shipping is tied up in consequence. The Takapuna, from the South, did not reach Onehunga until 11.15 o'clock this morning, having had a boisterous trip up from New Plymouth. At noon to-day the signalman, at the Heads advised that the bar was impassable, and the sailings announced /for to-day were accordingly postponed until to-morrow. During the gale the Harbour Board's big dredge squeezed the Ferro-Con-crete Company's pile-driver against the railway wharf, with the result that the punt, containing a donkey-engine, toppled over. Several windows Were blown in by the wind. PALMERSTON N., October 11. The weather has been frightful during the past few days. To-day a gale raged continuously. A considerable amount of damage was donte in various parts of the town. Many hoardings were blown down and the limbs of trees blown off. In one instance a hoarding, while falling, struck a young lady who was passing, knocking her down. She was taken to a hotel near by and attended to. Her injuries were not severe. Glass windows in the Clarendon and Railway Hotels were smashed by the force of the wind/ and more damage of a similar nature was done. WANGANUI, October 11. The weather at Wanganui continues very boisterous. There was a thunderstorm this morning, accompanied by heavy showers of hail and a gale. Much general damage is being done to gardens and young stock, and the farmers are much concerned about their lambs. DAMAGE IN TARANAKI. DESTRUCTIVE LIGHTNING. ' Considerable damage was done at the Waiongona railway station yesterday afternoon by lightning. The telegraph wires connected with the electric tablet system were fused, and an explosion followed. The side of the building was blown out and the instruments shattered. Six telegraph poles were also splintered to matchwood. All the lightning guards at Inglewood were fused, and the telegraph office was filled with smoke. The local office too suffered. Here the guards were fused and , several shattered to pieces. There was also a heavy explosion, flames leaping across the windows. The damage, however,, was not serious. ' It is thought damage was also done to the telephones at Bell Block andSentry Hill. ? - The lightning was more fierce than any that has been experienced here, for many years. Thanks to the up-to-date' system now introduced very little delay was occasioned in the transmission of messages. Railway traffic was disorganised. A goods train with passenger car, which should have been despatched from Inglewood about 2 o'clock was delayed until nearly 4. o'clock. Three poles between Hawera and Patea have been broken off. It is not known whether the damage was done by the gale or the lightning. Some delay in telegraphic communication was occasioned. A telegraph pole at Oakura has been blown over.