TERRIFIC GALE AT CHRISTCHURCH.

Wanganui Chronicle, Issue 12856, 28 October 1912, Page 5

TERRIFIC GALE AT CHRISTCHURCH.

MAORI HAS A ROUGH TRIP

CHRISTCHURCH, Oct. 27

A terrific southerly gale struck tho city on Saturday morning, and raged furiously throughout the day. Shortly after half-past seven, snow began ta fell in heavy flakes, but gave way to driving rain. The gale had a disastrous effect on fruit reos. Hundreds were stripped, and the result will probably l)o a greatly diminished fruit crop. Several chains of fencing were blown down in different parts of the city. The gale war, severely felt on the Cashmere Hills, and two or thre chimneys belonging to houses in tho settlement were brought to the ground. Newlyshorn sheep in the country felt the force of the gale. The weather will also affect late lambing on the hills. The gale broke over Sumner at five o'clock on Friday night with hurricane force, and increased in severity all through the night, accompanied by driving bail rain and sleet. A substantial six-room-ed house in course of erection at Redeliffs was levelled to the ground during tho night. A number of small outhouses are lying fiat. Another 12-room-od house in course of erection at Redcliffs was also blown down.

After a passage of nearly seventeen hours, tho Maori arrived in port at 1 p.m., steaming up the harbour in the teeth of fierce squalls. Captain Aidwell informed a reporter that it had been blowing a hurricane all the way from Wellington Heads, and the trip was tho worst the Maori had ever experienced in her fivo years' running. The sea started to make when the Maori was ten miles to the northward of CapeCampbell, and the weather conditions became rapidly worse as she steamed full speed in the teeth of the gale. No other vessel on the coast could have come through in the time taken by the Maori, her high-powered turbines giving her n big advantage over other steamers.

In consequence of the weather, all cricket, bowling and tennis matches 6et down for Saturday were postponed.