'The whole of the North' Island of New Zealand was struck to-day by the worst southerly gale to lash the country in. years, All centres, eluding Wellington, become honieally isolated, and emergency radio service is now operation.
'The yale blew most fiercely at Palmerston North, where the streets were blocked by' fallen trees and telegraph pole:
had their roofs torn off, 2 train was partly derailed, and a man. was blown off a building and The Wellington-Lyttleton ferry Rangatira, with 500 passengers aboard, struck un obstruction entering Wellington Heads. The vessel was holed, "but, with the assistance of tugs, was brought safely to port—Reuter.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.