HEAVY HAILSTORM IN HASTINGS MUCH DAMAGE TO FRUIT

Wanganui Chronicle, 7 November 1949, Page 4

HEAVY HAILSTORM IN HASTINGS MUCH DAMAGE TO FRUIT

HASTINGS, Last Night (PA).— Hail accompanying a violent electrical storm smashed glass-houses and stripped fruit and other crops in a twomile path in Hastings this afternoon. The main fruit area, however, escaped.

The hail storm cut a swath across the eastern side of the town about 4 o’clock. Roofs of a couple of dozen large glasshouses were shattered by jagged hail stones i;p to a couple of inches at the widest part. Most of the crops were tomatoes which are just coming on the market. These were ruined. The outside growth was stripped by the force of the hail. Although the larger commercial fruit growing areas escaped, there was some extensive orchards in the path of the storm. Tho full damage to them cannot be assessed until the crops reach a more advanced stage. House roofs leaked as spouting became choked by hail and the interiors of many were damaged. At nightfall the hail on the ground was still six inches deep.