ONE ROAD OUT

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 31, 6 February 1931, Page 14

ONE ROAD OUT

HUGE FISSURES OPEN

When the first ambulances from Wellingtou to Napier arrived at Palmcrston North advice as to tho best roads to take was given them by Mr. W. H. Hewitt, of Karori, who was returning to Wellington from tho scene of the disaster. Mr. Hewitt told a "Post" reporter that he was shopping near the Post Office. As he went out and down the street a whole building fell across the street within a foot of him, but he escaped with a bruised ankle. He tried another street and another building fell in front of him. Mr. Hewitt stay* ed for some hours helping to get out people who were trapped, special efforts being made in this direction in order to free ,the unfortunates before fire reached them. Later, when Mr. Hewitt left with a car load of survivors wanting to be deposited at various points along the road home, four roada were tried before they got out, the Stortford Lodge road being the only passable one, although dangerous on ac? count of the huge fissures which had opened' up. It took two hours to go from Napier to Hastings—l 2 miles. "It was wonderful how soon the people settled down," said Mr. Hewitt. "They collected in tho open spaces, such as Clive Square nncl the Parade, and within an hour of the first shake there- were two nurses in Clive Square attending to tiro injured. Everywhere you saw blood-streaked faces, and children with cuts. We did not1 see a chimney standing until this side of Waipukurau. It was worse than France in that what happened there was expected; the earthquake came with awful suddenness. ' .