Swathes of New Zealand were pummeled by dangerous winds for the second time in a week on Thursday, with howling gales canceling hundreds of flights, causing electricity blackouts and forcing school closures. The gales were worst in the lower North Island, where the capital Wellington is located, and in parts of the South Island, including the city of Christchurch. When a different weather system battered the country on Monday, a Wellington man was struck and killed by a falling tree branch.