LATEST FROM CHEVIOT.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 19 November 1901, Page 3

LATEST FROM CHEVIOT.

Another Night in the Open Air

A number of Minor Shocks.

(per press association.)

Wellington, This Day.

The Postmaster at Cheviot, telegraphing to the Secretary of the Department at 8 am., says:—"l have to report another depressing night. Since my last report there have been a number of minor disturbances, intermingled with one or two more severe and serious shocks. None, however, have done any additional damage, chiefly because practically all the damage from which the settlement can suffer has already been done.

" I regret to say that after a promise of much-needed rain last night, the weather has again changed this morning, and is oppressively hot with scorching sun.

"This will add to the troubles of farmers, whose land is parched, and crops are consequently in nearly all cases failures. " Christchurch newspapers have already started a relief fund. It must not be understood, however, that settlers are destitute. Almost without exception their homes are badly damaged, and in some cases destroyed, while one or two business people in McKenzie itself, who have no available capital, have lost them all. It is these latter who will benefit by the relief fund, the chief use of which will not be to buy food, but to enable them to make another start. "The impression abroad that the people are absolutely destitute is incorrect, though several are ruined." CnRiSTcnt'RCH, Tins Day. There were a number of shocks at Cheviot last night after the heavy convulsion at eight o'clock, which caused a mild panic. Up to eleven this morning, there were no tremors.

The Hon. Hall-Jones left this morning for Cheviot, and Sir Joseph Ward is expected there to-morrow.