TRAIL OF DAMAGE

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLV, Issue 21088, 14 July 1938, Page 6

TRAIL OF DAMAGE

Gale Sweeps Taranaki Blizzard on Egmont By Teleeraoh —PresF Association NEW PLYMOUTH, July 13. A trail of minor damage was left by a south-east gale that swept Taranaki to-day, the strongest experienced for

years. The gale sprang up suddenly after a warm spring like day and a calm clear night. By daylight this morning the wind had reached gale force, the gusts being of 60 miles an hour. Several houses had parts of the roofs blown off and windows smashed. Electric power was cut off completely for a period this morning and again this evening.

Several sheds and garages were blown down, and telephone and power poles and lines were broken down. Strangely enough the air liners seemed least affected of the transport services, the ’planes arriving and leaving in both directions on scheduled time.

A heavy sign on a shop at New Plymouth crashed down and smashed the hood of a car which was not occupied. Two houses had the greater part of the roofs blown off, and in one case when a housewife was preparing the evening meal a brick came down the chimney and crashed on the stove, spoiling the

meal and covering the room with soot Many motorists experienced difficulty with the force of the gale, but no serious accident occurred.

There were blizzard conditions on Mount Egmont with heavy snow but practically no rain fell elsewhere in the province.

Startling Incident One of the most startling incidents of to-day’s gale occurred at Rahotu, when Tim Barrett* had his horse electrocuted under him and himself had a narrow escape. Barrett was driving cattle and rode into a farm gate where a tree had blown down breaking the power service line, the end of which was swaying loose. The wire swung round the horse’s forelegs and the animal dropped. Barrett, in freeing himself, twice stepped on the live wire and received shocks, but he suffered no serious injury as the line carried only 230 volts. A cow which touched the line also was killed, and a dog which sniffed the wire jumped six feet into the air. WOMAN’S MISFORTUNE By Telegraph -Pres.® WELLINGTON, July 13. A southerly gale, accompanied by h?avy showers, was experienced in Wellington this morning. Mrs D. Small, of Island Bay. was admitted to hospital with a fractured thigh bone when she was blown over by a particularly strong gust of wind. A shop window was blown in and other minor damage done in the city and suburbs.