RECOVERY OF DEAD

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 31, 6 February 1931, Page 16

RECOVERY OF DEAD

NAPIER'S TERRIBLE TASK

KECOURSE TO BLASTING

(By "Tho Post's" Special Reporter.) NAPIER, sth February. Activity and the- numbness of usage have dulled the minds of everyone to tha ever-present tragedies, but the sights seen hourly arc such as completely shatter the nerves of tho strongest. This afternoon two bodies were recovered from in front of the Masonic Hotel, evidently caught just as they were escaping, or perhaps just passing, and there are many more amongst the piles of1 bricks and concrete inside. It is not a subject to write about in detail, but the work of the marines from the warships deservos to stand as an example for all time. Under most of the great ruins lie foodies, that no attempt has been so far made to recover. One reason has been a general disinclination to commence blasting the huge blocks of masonry to allow, of exhumation. Levers and hand's are quite inadequate to remove tho tons of rubblo and blocks of material. Under the front of ono building ho trapped six bodies, seen caught there by an eye-witness who narrowly escaped on the other side of the street. The nurses' home still holds bodies, jis indeed does every large fallen building that was occupied at the time. The work of demolition is being systematically carried out now, and soon the corpses will all be blasted The morgues are never empty, and sometimes are full. The burials .aro so numerous that many bodies are dealt " with at once. Those who wish to have the bodies are allowed to do so, but there aro few private funerals, because o f tho numbers of dead and the need, for health reasons, of speedy disposal. There was a big common burial today of 43 bodies, at which all denominations of the clergy were present. Many of the, bodies were unidentified. In some cases, where fire has been through the ruins,, even the sex cannot be determined. There were in addition to-day ten sinele funerals conducted privately. In all cases of non-identification aU possible details are taken before Wrial. ' ' —