INTERPROVINCIAL

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume VI, Issue 563, 6 December 1881, Page 2

INTERPROVINCIAL

EARTHQUAKE IN CHRISTCHURCH.

Christchurch, December 5

An earthquake shock was felt about 7.27 a.m. to-day, the direction of the successional waves appearing to be from northeast to south-west, and the duration of the vibration is stated to have been from 25 to 35 seconds, Several buildings were seen to oscillate considerably during the continuance of the shock, their motion being described by oRf spectator as " like that of ships at sea. M The most serimis damage done has happened to the spire of the Cathedral, where a piece of the stone cap beneath the finial, weighing about a dozen pounds, was broken o£E and foil to the ground, knocking off a portion of the ' moulding of the spire, about six feet from the apex. Part of this moulding fell on the asphalte pavement of Cathedral Square, making an indentation of an inch and a half in depth and as wide as an ordinary saucer. Some absurdly exaggerated accounts of the damage sustained by the- Tower were current in the town during the forenoon, Large numbers of persons visited the Cathedral yard in consequence, and the hole in the pavement proved the centre of unlimited attraction to passers by* The Durham street Wesleyan church was somewhat shaken, and a Large stone from one of the chimneys of tne school room was thrown down. St. Pauls' Presbyterian church was also somewhat shaken and one of the chimneys of the Normal school slightly damaged. Some plastering within the building was shaken down, and the block of buildings at the corner of Manches ter and St. Asaph streets was very much shaken. A large crack appears in the Manchester street front and smaller cracks have been made in several other portions of the block. A second slight shock was felt a ittle aftereiglit o'clock, and a third about half-past nine.

MARRIAGE OF MR HO3KIN3.

A private telegram received from Wellington states, that Mr Wihiam Hoskins, the veteraa actor, was married yesterday to Miss Douglas, of the Pomeroy Company. Mr Hoskins was lifted from bed for the purpose and then taken back again. He is very poorly yet.