THE EARTHQUAKE.

Hokitika Guardian, 29 December 1922, Page 4

THE EARTHQUAKE.

FURTHER PARTICULARS. Reports from North Canterbury indicate that Monday’s earthquake probably had its origin about AVaikari, where the hospital and vicarage were ; extensively damaged. Cheviot was also . badly shaken .most of the houses in . tho township bearing evidence of the ordeal to which they had been sub-: jeeted. Some residents of the district | consider the ’quake the worst ever ex- j prienced there, while others, are of j the opinion that that of 1901 was: worse.

WAIKARI HOSPITAL DAMAGE 11

The. experiences of the inmates ol the Waikari Hospital during the earthquake was terrifying. The building, a modern two-storeyed structure, tossed from side to side, and chimneys crashed on to tho roof amidst a fearful din. Fortunately, there were only two patients in the hospital at the time ,a woman undergoing treatment for nervous trouble, and an infant. The former was upstairs by herself. The toppling over of two chimneys scattered bricks over tho roof a*d these burst through into the operating theatre, of which they made a complete wreck. The roof was badly holed, as though a .shell had forced its way through. In every room the plaster was cracked and pieces of it fell to the floor. Such heavy pieces of furniture as wardrobes and dressing tables were upset, and the dispensary was left in a chaotic state, due to the upsetting of dozens of bottles and the spilling of their contents. So severe, was the effect of the quake that it threw down to tho ground the matron who was about to go upstairs to see the patient. A fissure a couple ol yards in length opened in the, ground near the hospital gate, and to complete the damage a. concrete water tank cracked, flooding the outside ol the hospital with the escaping water. VICARAGE WALL COLLAPSES

About 100 yards from tho hospital stands another building that was severely damaged by the earthquake. This was the vicarage, a stone building ereetui some years ago. and occupied by the Rev and Mrs F. R. Kawle. The ’quake caught it badly, shaking off some tons of masonry and .smashing up one of the walls, besides cracking the building in various directions. At the time of tho disturbance, .Mrs Rawle was in the house by herself, Mr Rawle being away at a funeral. Seeing the wall crash, she endeavoured to get out of tho house, but when she caught hold of a door it refused to open,.in consequence of which her escape was impeded. Fortunately, however, .she found another means of egress. Returning home, Mr Rawle saw a. cloud of what ho assumed to ho smoke rising lrom tho broken wall, and until he realised what had happened was under the impression that tho place had caught lire. The vicarage was previously damaged in tho earthquake of UMH. AT ROTHERHAM. Monday’s earthquake was most severe at Rotherham. The hotel, apparently. was itlte centre of the disturbance. Every bottle crashed from the shelves, chimneys were wrecked, and the furniture upstairs was capsized and broken. Both chimneys at the Masonic j Lodge Hall fell to the ground. .Mr E. j Sutton, storekeeper, Rotherham, suf- ! fored heavily, crockery, glassware etc. I being badly broken, and bottles and i packages on the shelves were all thrown to the floor. The proprietor of j tie Rotherham Hotel estimates his loss at £303. ' Tho shock was also severe at Culverden, chimneys being wrecked in some ■ of the private houses. The Ulcus of , Tckoa homestead, suffered severely, chimneys being cracked and broken, and tho plaster throughout' tho bouse badly damage.!. In the kitchen, the j whole of tho plaster from the ceiling j crashed to the floor. Wnia.ii township had a good shaking, huL there arti not any serious losses, llnnmor Springs was well shaken, hut escaped damage. The stone pillars of the bridge at : Weka creek, on the north side, were thrown down. j DUNEDIN, Dee 20. • The earthquake was the merest tie- j mor.

SENSATIONAL EXPERIENCE aT WAIKUKU REACH.

.Mr F. L. Flans, of Papanui, states that the tiffed of tlio earthquake near tlio Wnikuku Beach was more serious than at first reported, and was of a most sensational nature, lie was one of a picnic- party that were at the end of tlio road which terminates near a plantation beside some sandhills when the shock occurred, lie experienced the sensation of being raised upwards as the earth was affected by the quake and then being dropped again, ft was a most eerie sensation, and caused the crowds of picnickers in the vicinity to move to shelter without loss of time. Immcdiatuly niter the main disturbance, water commenced to make its way to the surface over a radius ol about a chain. The water was beautifully clear and fresh and was very cold. An elderly lady who wa.s enjoying a doze was rudely disturbed by tlio tremor. A few feet away from where she was lying was a tree, which was lifted bodily and then dropped into position at an angle of about lo degrees. Like tlio others in the vicinity she made a rapid retreat to safety. 3lost of the picknic-kers turned pale with the shock to their systems, and some of them were made sick. DAMAGE AT CHEVIOT. FURTHER SHOCKS EXPERIENCED CHEVIOT, Dec 27. Two or three slight shocks were felt here last night. Though slight, these shocks were annoying and trying on the nerves, for one does not know what to expect next. Yesterday morning when a fairly sharp shock was experienced at five, many persons, mostly women and children left their beds and did not return to them. The weather this morning is close and sultry, similar to tho weather on Christmas morning. Residents call it “earthquaky weather,” and there is a general feeling that more shakes are coming. Tho shops re-opened to-day and all have been straightened and cleaned np fairly well. LADY CAMPBELL’S RESIDENCE. It is reported that damage to Lady Campbells residence; near Cheviot amounts to £2OOO. The house was plastered, and the plaster has been badlv cracked, and in many places has fallen away. Many valuable ornaments have bqen smashed and the slate roof was damaged by, falling bricks. About two dray loads of debris have been removed from the house. ’lbis house was severely damaged in the 1001 quake. Mentlip Hills, which was the centre of the 1901 quake, came off comparatively well this time, as did also Parnassus, where no chimneys have fallen though one or two are cracked. ANOTHER SHOCK. There was another sharp , shock ol earthquake at TTanmer Springs on Boxing Day, at 4.-15 a.m. During and after the earthquake on Christmas Day there was a considerable activity - in the mineral water. Bathers wfere

quite alarmed, and left the pool hastily. At the original reservoir, near the gasometer, the uprising of the water assumed the proportions of a miniature geyser, and at the underground tank where the steam inhalation pipes are situated, it is stated that the water rose to the level of the surrounding lawns. The increase in the sulphurous smell of the water, which assumed a black discolouration, wa.-, very noticeable. The gas bubbles wcio greatly accelerated, and much gas- escaped' into the air. .Minor damage was done about the township in - the way of breakages, tho hospital probably suffering the worst. In one house the flames flew from tho range and set fire to some clothes which caused tho surrounding woodwork to be charred. Luckily tlur outbreak was easily extinguished. SHARP SHOCK AT DUNEDIN. DUNEDIN, Doc'27. This afternoon’s earthquake at 3.40 p.m. was short and sharp and caused some alarm. Buildings shook, windows rattled, and many articles were displaced from their shelves. Tho vessels in the harbour also swayed. The shock appeared to bo from the direction of south to north. It was one of the worst felt here.