GALE AT HOKITIKA.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 63, 27 July 1868, Page 2

GALE AT HOKITIKA.

On Tut-rt-Uy, « rnpldly-f.illlnff barometer g*vo warning that the splendid weather which whs ushered in by tho now moon on Monday, urns nbont to como to nn end. During tlio night tho barometer continued to full with alarming rapidity, nnd tho wind Ih'gnn to rise with Mint heavy wailing sound which is litm&Uy Uw precursor of a strong gale. Those warnings wero not without tlicir duo issue, as, towards midnight, a whole gale was blowing from tho north war' accompanied with terrific downpours of rain u ml hail. Tho sea also roio rapidly, and at i ho time of high water last night, the roller* were thrown up in dangerous proximity to tho buildings on the west side of Itcn-lt streets whilst on t'"C terrace* the wind howl*! around the frail wooden tenements, threatening momentarily their overthrow— many of them rocking tO'nnd*fro like n nhip in a *ca«way. Fortunately no aerious damage was caused •>y cither dement, further than nn occasions! overthrow of a chimney, or tho removal of ft few shingles from (he roofs. The gale, however, commenced to nbatc nbnut four o'clock in tho morning, but though moderated to a breeze, it made rather violent attempta to -ualaln it* worn-out fury, Tho hou which it had risen wm something terrlfl.», and ar the (lood lido mado during tho forenoon, tho waves, na far na tho eye conld ace, wero mountains in their size. Tho Alhambra and I-mbella riding in the roadstead* were frequently obscured from observation from tho beach, by tho height of tho waves. At the flood made, it became evident that tho houses in north Kcvcll street wcro in imminent peril, but the inhabitant 4 , although frequently warned of the danger approaching, mado no appearance of anxiety for tho safety of their effects, and it was not until a henry roller or two broke in their midat, that nny movement to nave property win made. Then commenced a sceno of iiuloserllwble confmlon. Women running to and fro, wot up to the warm, and raising cries the mast frantic in their nlnrm. Fortunately n number of tho inlmbltnnta had been druvrn to this end of tho town, in Rnticlpntion of such a mishap as the present, and by their tfTortu, things wero soon reduced to some kind of order. A strong body of them immediately set to work in removing the furniture and other household effects to a place of snfety, doing their work manfully, , and being often* times •übmcrged to tho very wnUt in the heavy acas, which rapidly succeeding each other, kept tho dwellings continually sub* merged. By their efforts the furniture from about a dozen houses wag rescued from complcto destruction. Meanwhile all along the north end of tho beach, as far as Park-street, tho waves wero carrying on their work of devastation, Kvery portable article in tho rear of the houses being washed away, including foncoa, water-butts, and closets, the latter certainly no great lots to the community at large. Several out houses between Pork street nnd the end of the town were ako entirely demolished, tho waves lifting them completely off their piles, and washing them to and fro like a plaything, un'il they wero utterly dashed to pieces. Providentially tho dvrdling-houaes suffered no greater harm than a complete inundation, and tl.a destruction of a few window eashei and doors. Between Tudor-street and tho Montczuma the waves mado clean breaks over the street and tramway, far into tho marshy ground which borders tho timber in the rear of tho cattle pound, lowing high billows of froth which covered the ground in tho vicinity as though a heavy fall of snow had taken place. Tho tramway carriages on tho Arabum line were compelled to cease running during the middle of the day, as the oca was sweeping portions of the line between town and the Ho Ho Creek, in fact, during ono of tho trips, a huge roller completely

Bmollicred the earrlngo, and nlmom wanliod It ort Hie lino. A carrier, named Fletcher, who had loft town early in tho mornlnpf, wnu compelled to nnmo to a Htfiiid-fllill with hi« WHKgflti In UmvMnUyot ihoTlirocMlloeroolcbavinffprc vlouHlyhftdthowavcftVPaflhiiiKroundliiflvohlclo n» lifqli w tlio axtetrco. Jiwt beforo coming to a lialt, tho wngon was nurrounded by n larger wave than iiflunl, and ho had tho mlßfortuno to loflo a vnlii'iblo liorflo, which wan thrown off Ho legfl and drowned beforo It could bo exirlc.'ilcd. At tho noirh-end of. the town, wo nrn happy to report no damage occurred from tho scan, although at times their near proximity to tlio dwellingd wero a mifllf.lent sonrco of alarm to tho rflflldon'H, Tho river, although containing no great frcah, yet tho send-home bnokod up itfl waiors to nuoh an cxtont, that feara woro entertained of the flood ovorflprcadinff tho wharf, which would lmvo inevitably taken nl«eo, but for the proteotlon afforded by tho HoutJi Hplt in tlio idmpo of a bronltwator. Mcoh damago wan aloo doiiw to tlilfl natural barrier to tlio waves, an tho «oa so complotely levelled tho crown of tho flpit, Hint nfc Jjigli water It w»h completely fluhmerged. Tho appearance of tho rlvor from Glbnon's Quay,ftt tho top of hlgh-wator was picturosquo in tho extrcmo, presenting tho apponrance of almofltan Inland livko with its dark fringe of trees on tho Bouth Hhoro, and tlio tall masts of tlic flhipplug on the oppoalio side.

(From (he WcsUand Observe^ July 24.)