HEAVY NORTH-WESTERLY GALE.

Timaru Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 1846, 21 August 1880, Page 2

HEAVY NORTH-WESTERLY GALE.

SEEIOUS DAMAGE TO PROPERTY. The nor'-wester which set m on Wednesday as a moderate breeze, and blew with greater force during Thursday, on the night of that day increased to a strong gale, ond early yesterday morning increased to almott hurricane force. Its strength continued nearly unabated until late yesterday afternoon, when a lull took place, and up to a late hour la«t erening the wcathor was comparatively calm. More or lesa damage was done m different parts of the district — fences, stacks of grain and straw, and not a few chimneys being levelled to the ground, while a number of windows were burit m. In the back country heavy showers of rain alternating with snow-showers took place, and when the train left Albury last evening the rain was coming down m torrents. From Timaru tlio sky to the westward presented a very threatening appearance, the ranges being continually illuminated by vivid sheet lightning. The Esngitata river was Tory much discolored yesterday afternoon, and the angry appearance which it presented foreboded a heavy flood. Tlio Waitangi showed no signs of a fresh, nor did any of the smaller rivers m the district. At Waimate the effects of the gale during Thunday night were very severely felt. Our correspondent writing yesterday says, "The wind last night did considerable damage here Many fences were blown away, several cotUgei were ruined, and the ncwly-orected Fin Brigade bell-tower (45 feet high) was hurled to the ground. The walls of the new Frimi tire Methodist Chapel wero blown down, one altogether a good round sum will be requirec to make good the lost occasioned by thi gale." Tho gale teems to hare been experienced ii other places, as well as Bouth Canterbury Last night's Oamaru Evening Mail says :— " Even those who incer at the daily weathe forecasts of Captain Edwin should havo beet more than satisfied with the correctness 01 the prognostication he sent by telegraph yes terday of an approaching gale. Last nigh' and to-day the wind has blown a perfec hurricane, and tho consequence has beon iomi damage to property m various localities In Thames street, the verandah m front ol Messrs Farr's confeotionery shop was com pletely demolished and the front of thi building also damaged, while the ohimnej of the bakehouse and the chimneys of thi Swan Hotel, next door, have suffered some what, In many other parts of the town thi chimneys sucoumbed to a greater or lessei extent before the force of the gale, whili many large window panes were blown t< atoms. On the hill the full force of the gale was felt, and its effectiveness is apparent it heaps of wrecked fences, &c. The home ol a member of our staff had a lively time, and few would have given that gentleman credit for the possession of so muoh agility as be displayed about three o'clock this morning, when aroused from the sleep of the just to board up shattered windows, Ac. Few would also have given him credit for the possession of the Cbristian-liko meekness with which ho witnessed the bodily removal by rude Boreas of a largo wash-hoJse from his oim to his neighbor's section, where it was tafely deposited m a decidedly comical manner never contemplatod by the talented architect who gave to the structure a roof and a floor placed according to the accepted order of things, which order the God of Winds entirely reversed. Amidst all this teropettuout torrent the numerous vessels m the Harbor rode out safely and tcourely, no damage to any of them being recorded. The g»le appears to have been felt up north, for we learn from the officer m charge of the Telegraph Office that the north, line is down, and communication stopped. Since writing the above we learn that several of the telegraph poles just outiido the North Town Boundary have been broken off by the wiud." (Br Tblbobaph.) Chbibtchuhoh, Aug 20. . A terrific nor'-west gale has been blowing all day, exceeding m violence tho storm m September, 1878. It wai so severe m the morning and blew so hard m town that the dust was swept away instantly, aud showers of small stones were flying abuut. From all parts of the country accounts of damage by tho gale are cojiing m, but nothing very sovore has yet been reported. The prinoipal ravages are confined to trees, verandahs, windows, fences, cto. Some valuable trees m tho Domain here were completely destroyed. A branch of blue gum was torn from the trunk at Cashmoro and hurled into a buggyman and homo underneath. Tho man wh nearly killed, and now lies m a critical state, and the borso was injured. At Lyttelton a prisoner was at work on th» roof of a building m the gaol yard. Tho hnrricane tore tho roof and nun bodily off, and by the fall (of some 30 feet.) he reooived such injuries that his recovery is doubtful. Tbo high fenco round the Maori prisoners' quarters was levelled with tho ;round. Another man on the roof of his house was blown off and bodly cut by a sheet of iron. At Leithfield the Presbyterian Ohuroh was shifted off its foundation. The stack of ohitnneys at a large hotel just created at Bangiora, m imitation of Wain's Hotel at Dunedin, was blown down. Tho tents of tbe unemployed at Weka Pass have suffer.d severely. The railway station at Selwyn has undergone considerable damage. No damage was dono to the shipping m port, as the gale was foretold -by Lieut. Edwin at Wellington, and precautions taken. This afternoon it gradually softened down, and eventually subsided, being succeeded by vivid lightning on the mountains. The glass has been fulliDg

steadily, and when it commence! to rise v. vigorous blow ia expeoted from the couth. went. Owing to tho norlh-wo.t weather of the lost three days, heavy floods are exDeotod, and the Waimakariri baa already begun to rue. The telegraph lines are all down north of itaiapoi. , Oamabit Ani?. 20. A perfect hurricane of wind blew lufc evening, doing great damage m the town and district. Verandah, and chimney. .'SJES greatly. At Weiton a .tone cottage wat. blown to tho ground, and m Oamaru t£e , id e of a home was blonn m. DtTHBBIN, Aug. 20 A nor* west gale Itet night did considerable dam.ige throughout the city. At Campbell', chin* bazaar a wall was blown down, and Mr CampbeU'estimttrs his losi at £1600. p ar fc and Curie', building, of iron and wood wers also blown dorm and smaihed up. Richard, and Co., George street, also tuffered coniidtriblj. Fences and windows innumerable wer* broken. At Port Ghalmer. several viuels dragged their moorings, bul no damage wat done.