JAPANESE DISASTER.

Hokitika Guardian, 10 September 1923, Page 2

JAPANESE DISASTER.

LATEST CABLE NEWS

AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION, OVER A' THOUSAND SHOCKS. NEW YORK, Sept. 7. Yokohama’s dead arc now estimated at 50,000. The New York “Times’s” Osaka correspondent states: “From Septembei Ist. to 6th., there were 1029 distinct earthquake shocks in the stricken area of Japan. “The Tokio police have reported that 32,564 bodies have been removed from the yard of the Homo .Military Clothing Warehouse, indicating that any estimates of the loss of human life in Japan must be extremely large. The trains are carrying about 40,001 refugees from lokio daily. Ihe suburbs are indescribably crowded, but the food supply is better. Thousands of dead bodies are stil lying undisturbed. There is intense heat, which hinders salvage work. The water supply has been restored in Tokio, and now is good, but the electric lighting is restricted. The Japanese are facing their sufferings stoically, but there aro fears of a typhoon. TOKIO, Sept. 7.

NEW YOJ? K, Sept. 7. Yokohama’s dead arc now estimated at 50,000. The New York “Times’s” Osaka correspondent states: “From September Ist. to oth.. there were 1029 distinct earthquake shocks in the stricken area of Japan. “The Tokio police have reported that 32,564 bodies have been removed from the yard of the Honjo Military Clothing Warehouse, indicating that any estimates of the loss of human life in Japan must ho extremely large. The trains are carrying about 40,000 refugees from f I okio daily. Ihe suburbs are indescribably crowded, but the food supply is better. Thousands of dead bodies are still lying undisturbed. 'there is intense heat, which hinders salvage work. The water supply has been restored in Tokio, and now is good, but the electric lighting is restricted. The Japanese are facing their sufferings stoically, but there aro fears of a typhoon

The Central Observatory has announced that earthjuake vibrations were felt on September Ist. and 2nd., 300 times, on Sept, 3, 889 times, on Sept. I. 173 times, on Sept, o, 158 times, and on Sept. 0, tip to six in the morning, 63 times, thus aggregating 1029 shocks. The earthquake now shows signs ot diminishing. There is no more anxiety. OSAKA, Sept. ..

The Privy Council has issued an Imperial decree that one month’s wages shall he payable in full. There is to be no limit to bank withdrawals on wages account, and it is ordered that food hoarding shall be punishable with three vears’ gaol or a tine of 3000 yen. In order to control the price of lumber, the Imperial Household lias donated 1000 trees from the Imperial forest tor relief works. , . The prompt action of the guards at three penitentiaries at Tokio, the walls of which collapsed, prevented the escape of the prisoners, i’he Chief -Justice. Chief Public Prosecutor, and 40 other judges and procurators were kiffc«l.

TOKIO TO 11E REBUILT. (Received this day at 8 a.m.) OSAKA, Sept. 9. It is understood that experts of the Home Department have already decided upon a general plan for the reconstruction of the capital. The latest report states that seventy olio per cent of Tokio’s buildings \cere destroyed, burned or damaged and sixtv-scvon per cent ot the population affected. Barons Sumitomo and Yosuda contributed two million yen each and Baron Okuma a million to the relief fund. Conditions generally show a great improvement and the problems ot housing die refugees, restoring the water service, lighting, and other facilities are being resolutely grappled with. The exodus of great numbers from the city continues. This is helping in some measure to solve the problems. Telegraphic, railway and other means of communication are still sadly disorganised. Estimates as to the number of victims are purely speculative, hut the estimate is probably 150,000 killed and 300,000 injured in Tokio and Yokohama combined, these figures being not far off the mark. The latest estimate of the homeless in Tokio is 1,330,000 and Yokohama 409,000.

REFUGEES FLEEING. 'Received this day at 8 a.m.) KOBE, Sept. 8. Refugees continue fleeing from the districts about .Mount Fuji. Continual- rumblings are heard from tho depths of the sacred mountain, but ihe volcano still shows itself dormant otherwise. Approximately twenty thousand foreign refugees, British and American, are being eared ■ for here, of whom iifty are seriously injured and, are being nursed at the International Hospital, and those with minor injuries are housed in missionary build-' in.gs. Approximately ton thousand Americans and five hundred Britishers are already enroute" homeward from here and Yokohama, and steamship companies are striving to arrange for the transportation of others, as soon ns possible. Viscount Sliibusqwa and Admiral Momaguelii are still missing.