METHVEN.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6647, 11 September 1889, Page 3

METHVEN.

Oar Methven correspondent, writing on Tuesday says : — Last evening we had one of the most severe gales ever experienced in this district. Commencing about 8 p.m., the gale lasted in all it 3 fary until 11.30 p.m. To give a full idea of its strength would be difficult, but a very large amount j of damage was done. The windmill at the j railway station used to pump water into the tanks was badly damaged, the fans and fan-wheel being almost entirely de- j stroyed. The goods-shed roof was also slightlj damaged. Patton'a Hotel Buffered somewhat severely, having several panes of glass broken, and a large chimney partly destroyed. The Canterbury Hotel, of which Mr Bowse is proprietor, was equally unfortunate. Two large chimneys were destroyed, also a large fence in front of the garden. Both houses were completely filled with dust. The Catholic Church, which the contractor had lately commenced to build, and had almost completed the frame-work, was entirely demolished, and I fear it will be a considerable loss to Mr Brown. The Arcade was very much shaken, and ths Public Library more or less damaged ; in fact, veryfewbuildingsescapedsomeinjury. Mr Duncan Cameron, of Clunes, had a very large roof lifted off his woolshed, and suffered other damage. Messrs Gould and 1 Cameron's grainshed, at Lyndnurst, was severely damaged, a large quantity of the iron-roofing having been stripped off. The greatest sufferers, I fear, in this district, will be the farmers, who were in most cases well forward with their work, and ready i for cropping. In most cases, where the early seeds had been sown, these have been almost entirely blown away with the soil. The clouds of dust during the storm ! were something fearful. Messrs John i Holmes, Gordon Holtneß, Cochrano, and ! Vaughan, I have just learned will be Bevere losers, by having a large quantity j of seed and soil blown away. [Per Press Association.]

WELLINGTON, Sept. 10.

A heavy Nor'- west gale haß been blowing here since last night, but no damage is reported. BLUFF, Sept. 9. A strong northerly gale ia blowing, preventing the s.s. Mararoa from leaving the wharf, the will probably be detained till to-morrow.

The Otago Daily Times says : — Telegraphic communication both North and South was interrupted on Monday evening. On the northern line the break was some little distance past Oainaru, and on the South some mile or bo beyond Invercargill. Line repairera were sent out from Oamaru a3 soon as the interruption was discovered, but no news was received as to the cause of the interruption. As a northerly gale waa blowing at the Bluff so Btrongly that the Mararoa, was unable to leave the whaif, it is surmised that a fierce squall, felt to some extent in Dunedin between eight and nine o'clock, upset the telegraph polea, and brought the wires into contact with the ground.