LAST WIGHT’S STORM.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 144085, 2 May 1913, Page 3

LAST WIGHT’S STORM.

ROUGH WEATHER IN WELLING TON. SOUTHERN STEAMERS DELAYED Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, May 1. Mr. Bates, Government Meteorologist, reports to-night that to-day’s storm was part of a cyclonic disturbance which developed considerably during the day. He anticipates flooded livers in the North Island and along the East Coast of the South Island. For ■ the first time for two or three years the Lyttelton boat failed to leave port. . The Manuka, which left the wharf just after 5 o’clock, put back into the stream, and the Mararoa decided finally not to venture out. A heavy sou’wester is tumbling up. a big sea at the heads. TIMARIT, May 1. A cold southerly storm raged yester. day and at night snow fell in the Mac. kenzie Country. Five inches fell at the Hermitage and four inches at Balmoral and Tekapo, bub only half an inch at Burke’s Pass. WILD AND WET NIGHT. ' ■ , SHIPPING MUCH DELAYED. WELLINGTON, May 2. Yesterday afternoon a her.vy gale sprang up from -the south-east and Wellington experienced, ah unusually heavy downpour of rain. During the night the wind chopped round to the south-west and rain came down in torrents for hours. It was the wildest and wettest night in Wellington, for years. Fences and chimneys were blown down, and some low-iying land in the suburbs , was flooded, and land slips are reported ■' from various parts of the district. The Hutt River rose, between ten and. eleven feet, but no damage so far-is reported. The tramway traffic was dislocated ' for .a short time between seven, 1 and eight. This morning shipping was at a standstill. Last night the .Manuka from, Sydney, hound 'for Lyttelton, started at'five o’clock, but was unable to face the storm and came to an anchorage in the stream, where she ro.mained until 8.10 this morning, ■' when, she ..resumed Mr voyage. The ferry steamer Mararoa also could not look at the weather, arid will, not leave for the south until to-morrow night. Passengers who were be have gone in her last night, will be taKen by the Maori tonight. None of the siriall coasters have got in or out since yesterday, and several are reported to be sheltering. Tlie Moeraki, from Lyttelton to Sydney, arrived at 7.45 a.m. to-day, a quarter of an hour after the Maori, also from Lyttelton. The Pateena,.! from Picton and Nelson, and the Wimmera, from Sydney, via northern ports, came in at 9 and 11 a.m. respectively. All report bad passages. , .: ■ The storm tapered off early ■ this morning, but a good deal of rain hoc. fallen since daylight. The rainfall for , 24 hours was nearly 55iri.