HOKITIKA'S PLIGHT

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2312, 20 November 1914, Page 7

HOKITIKA'S PLIGHT

; V BIG SEAS PLAY HAVOC EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO PROPERTY SOME NARROW ESCAPES UNDERMINED BUILDINGS COLLAPSE (By Telegraph.—Press Association,) Hokiiika, November 19. The devastation caused by tho heavy sea, on the west side of Revell Street, between Johnston and Company's right-of-way, for a distance of about a quarter of a mile to the north, has been.of an extensive nature during the past few daysj whilst the erosion turther southward, where the principal damage was 1 done formerly, has been of a trifling character. The inroads by the sea to the north have been exceptional. The damage .south of Stafford Street as far as Johnston and Co.'s has been general, and it would appear that the sea is bent upon cutting a straight line regardless of any precautions that have been taken by those whose properties are. affected. More than one instance of narrow escapes of residents ha 6 been brought under notice. At the rear of Mrs. Brown's shop some cases ef benzine were 6tored in an outbuilding, and at about high tide a man was engaged in removing the goods. He had ;just stepped out when a huge wave demolished tho structure and washed it into the sea. Another accident was narrowly averted at the rear of Mr. Jacob's shop.. His grandson. Master Benjamin, was in one of the buildings when, as in the case of the first-men-tioned incident, he had just vacated the premises as the room was toppied into the raging 6ea. He did not realise tho danger, and had his grandfather not persuaded him with sortie difficulty to leave the back portion of the premises he would assuredly have mot his fate. Mr. Jacobs had a large shed stored with fancy goods, and the whole of these Were washed away—building and all. Further up the sea-front, Mrs. Devaney's kitchen has been undermined, and as this room forms part of the main building the damage to tho premises has been very considerable. Shroders and Co.'s new building has been further endangered, and it iB understood that the firm has removed all the stock from this portion of their premises. The buildings of Messrs. C. E. Evjins, Dee Bros., D. Heenan, and J. Olson, have all suffered more or less and most of the premises are overhanging the embankment. Aoross , the Stafford Street right-of-way considerable havoo has been wrought, and in many cases furniture and effects have been removed frirni the houses to places of safety. The properties which have been encroached upon are: Hannan's, Pasooe's, Hall's, Holmes's,' Fitzsimmons's, White' b, Burke's (recently: built), and other residential sites. Further north the residents have taken every possible precaution to secure moveable goods. In some cases the rear walls were battered in and the sea water washed from the hack to the front of the premises, washing all sorts of moveable goods in its course. The encroachment has been considerable at, this point. There is less 'than 1 - 90. feet ■ between tho bank and Revell Street. In almost every instance the brick walls liavo been-.washed away and levelled with the sandß.

From four feet to seven feet below the "top of the embankment running parallel with the Dnnedin Hotel were a series of loose-boxes. Three or four of these have disappeared and several horses were removed just prior to tlio toppling over of the compartments. In some places as much as fifty feet between .the sea and the premises have been washed away.

The onslaught was so sudden that the •residents in the area affected_ have hardly had time to realise ; their loss. Quite a number of wares waß washed into Revell Street yesterday and on one occasion the water rushed through Spence's stables opposite tie Dunedin Hotel. During its course it crashed into a trap-shed and converted it into a shapeless mass. _ A number of residents did not occupy their properties last night, they having secured premises in various parts of the town. It does not'appear that tonight's tide will cause any further damage.