The Aftermath

After the "southerly buster," which brought a colder change, three inches of rain and a whole gale on March 19, some damage was done but none that does not usually accompany this type of wind. Tree branches were broken off, a couple of sheets of loose roofing iron blown away, and one or two old buildings flattened. However, the hardest worked were the Power Board linesmen, who were kept out fixing broken wires and restoring power, while the most unfortunate was Mr Ray Carter, whose newly launched yacht was holed and sunk in the harbour.

Of interest is the fact that a whole gale is given a code figure of 10 on the modified Beaufort wind scale with a velocity register of 48 to 55 knots, The scale figures after that are 11 (storm — 56 to 63 knots), and from 12 up to 17 (varying degrees of hurricane — 64 to 118 knots). So wait till we get caught up in a middle sized hurricane then we'll begin to know something about it!

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The worst effect in Gisborne was the subsidence of this part of the breakwater where the heavy sea pounded away part of the sheet piling.

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This big willow tree on the riverbank near Oak Street was pushed over.by the gale. Even then the soft ground made the task easier for the wind.