FIERCE GALE.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20296, 4 May 1934, Page 5

FIERCE GALE.

Harbour Ferry Steamers Buffeted. PASSENGERS ALARMED. Per Press Association. AUCKLAND, May 4. The most severe north-easterly gale experienced for a long time swept over the Auckland province yesterday, accompanied by heavy rain. It did minor damage to buildings in many districts, interfered with the electric power, telegraph and telephone services and caused delays to shipping. The gale was particularly strong in Auckland harbour. It was accompanied by a very high tide at 9.45 a m., and the conflict between the wind and the ebb-tide at midday produced a short, heavy sea which greatly inconvenienced harbour traffic. Captains of ferry steamers stated that for a time the sea was the roughest they had ever experienced. Boats fought their way across the harbour throwing up clouds of spray which at times rose well above their wheelhouses. Services were maintained very creditably with little delay. The steamer Ngoiro, however, broke down of! the Northcote wharf through the failure of her cooling water system. Some of the passengers became needlessly alarmed at one stage and donned lifebelts. The steamer lay to until repairs were and returned to the city under her own steam. The Pupuke, which was sent to maintain the timetable, got into very rough water off Birkenhead, and laboured heavily for some minutes, to the discomfort of passengers. Vehicular services were run under great difficulties. Several hulks and scows went adrift or dragged their moorings, as did launches and small yachts. The losses among pleasure craft, however, amounted to only three or four small boats. The seas on Milford beach were very heavy at high tide, moving large quantities of sand. A concrete boatshed was undermined,

and most of one wall and floor collapsed. Man Overboard. The gale caused some trouble to the Navy, but there was only one accident. A pinnace from 11.M.5. Diomede was crossing the harbour to Devonport in the teeth of the gale and had reached midstream when a seaman lost his grip and was pitched into the sea. The petty officer in command promptly put the boat about and, after a minute and a half of clever manoeuvring in the choppy sea the man was hauled aboard none the worse. There is usually a good deal of naval launch traffic across the harbour in the morning for the conveyance of stores and other purposes. After the accident Rear-Admiral Burges Watson ordered that no further boats should l>e despatched, and until evening communication was kept up by means of the ferry service. Telegraph and telephone services in all parts of the province were interrupted by the gale, many breaks being caused by trees and other objects being blown across the lines. An augmented staff of linesmen was kept busy all day, but work could not be done at night on account of the danger from power lines. In practically all cases alternative routes were arranged. The telegraph line from Auckland to Whangarei was broken at Maungaturoto. - while another break occurred in the V ark worth-Waipu line. The service between Rotorua and Whakatane and between Waihi and Tauranga, also, was disconnected for some time, while minor interruptions occurred in the Auckland-Hamilton line. Several other breaks occurred in less important circuits. Telephone circuits north of Auckland were seriously affected by the storm. The four lines to Whangarei were broken at 10.30 in the morning, but one was restored at 1 p.m. Both lines to Dargaville were broken.