QUAKE DAMAGE

Hokitika Guardian, 21 June 1929, Page 6

QUAKE DAMAGE

KARAMEA’S SAD PLIGHT

THE SETTLEMENT SMASHED

Q ROADS & PORT BLOCKED

LATEST FROM WESTPORT. A QUIETER DAY. [By Telegraph, Per Press Association.] WESTPORT, Juno 20. After the turmoil of ,the earthquake and the cyclone Westport and district have enjoyed a quiet afternoon and evening. • There were a few hea\y jolts in the morning, hut enly slight tremors in the afternoon. The steamer Arahura arrived from Nelson this evening, and is leaving again shortly with about seventy passengers. THE MINES. •Regarding the coal mines, Dennis ton is unlikely to be working for a week but Millerton and Stockton should be able to resume on Monday if the tremors cease. , . The working at Seddonville is indefinite. The body of the miner Chamley has not yet been recovered. The search has been discontinued owing to the danger of falls in the mine.

KARAMEA CUT OFF. Some men-who. arrived; overland from Karamea report two great landslides on the Coastal route, one fai. having lieen pushed about half a mile to sea. Karamea is thus isolated b\ land, except under pedestrian difficulties, but ,the bar is understood to bo workable for small ships. CLIFF FALLS AT REWANUL • A huge slip occurred approximately midway between Dunollie and Rewanui yesterday morning at 10.2 C o’clock, carrying away practically tin whole of a limestone cliff. The area affecited is about a quarter of a mile from the Gold Light Colliery. Onlookers at Rewanui heard a mighty roar, and were fascinated, on looking down to see a whole hill swaying momentarily, and ( then toppling dowi with a reverberating crash, bringiiv down thousands of tons of rock.

The dliff towered fully 200 feel above the railway line, and after tinfoil dlouds of dust rose to a height of "100 feet." Fortunately the fall did not affect the railway line, some 400 yards away. Men at the Gold Light Colliery were loading coal into railway hoppers at the time of the crash, and their feelings can be well imagined when they heard the roar of the falling cliff above them. A striking sight was the flight of the bird inhabitants, amongst which were innumerable wild pigeons. No casualties or damage to property has resulted from the occurrence. Miners who -viewed • the landslide state that the fall of rock at tno Cobden Quarry on Monday “was only a baby compared to it.” A sharp ’quake was felt previously at 10 o’clock, and it is presumed that this was largely a contributing factor. 0

KARAMEA’S PLIGHT,

EVERY ROAD 'DESTROYED

WELLINGTON, June 20

The Postmaster at Karamea reports: The earthquake here was something beyond description. All local communication was' totally interrupted. All brick chimneys came down. Huge fissures -opened in front of the office in the earth and throughout the valley. There also were huge landslides. Personally, I was lucky in getting my family out of the building before its two double chimneys* collapsed. There was a general panic amongst the inluibitnnts.

REPORTS FROM ALL QUARTERS

CONDITION EASIER AT WESTPORT

The Post Office and the quarters are uninhabitable. lam dispatching linemen, together with representatives of the Public Works Department, wbo will endeavour to reach Westport, or a point from which communication with Westport can be established. * We are experiencing tremors every few minutes. KARAMEA NEEDS NEW ROAD. ' WELLINGTON, June 20. , The Acting-Secretary of the General Post Office lias received the following further earthquake reports: — No communication with Karamea has been established. Mi* Munson 'walked from Corbyvale. He reports that the surfacemen miraculously escaped from slides. One lorry was buried, the driver Hagen, getting minor injuries.

The Karamea road is in an appalling condition, lie says, and reconstruction not repairs are necessary. The inland route may be abandoned in favour of the Coast route.

From the Chief Postmaster at Westport : “ A party of two left . Karamea Oil foot at 1.40 p.m. on Tuesday and arrived nt Westport at 5.3 Q p.m. today. They report that Air Pettit had his .thigh broken. > They confirm the appalling state of the road. &A further report from the Overseer olf Public Works at Karamea states the training wall at the river mouth is considerably damaged and the wliaif sheds are also damaged, due to a considerable subsidence. The road from Karamea is in an appalling condition through slips. The centre span of the Little Waiitganui bridge is completely demolished. One house was burnt down.

THE RIVER BLOCKED. HOUSES BURNT DOWN. WESTPORT, June 20. Air J. R. Mullan, County Clerk, lias just received the following letter from .nr M. AfcLcan. County Chairman, from •Karamea, dated 19th June: — “ 1 don’t know where to start to •"•nliiin the position as regards Karamea. Wo are isolated, and it looks as though we will he for some time to come. There is practically nothing left whole in Karamea. Every road in the district is closed, and nearly all bridges, including Quinlan’s, are down. The wharf is gone, and the roads are either opened up in all directions or are covered altogether.

There is not a chimney left standing in Karamea, and nearly every tank is gone, and some houses were burnt down. ' Wo- seem to have been the storm centre. It seems, at first sight as though wo are permanently cut off ns all the bills around us appear to be down, but the bearer of this message, if- he gets through successfully,'will lie able -to give you a better idea as to that.

'[’here are great openings you could drive a horse and cart into the middle of the road. There are water geysers and boiling sulphur in the middle of the paddocks, - and, -worse than all. Karamea river is blocked —evidently by a big slip .in the Gorge, We have all the women and children in safety on nigh land. -It is now- 24 hours since tiie first ’shake, and we are getting tremors quite regularly every five £0 fen minutes, and no one can tell where, it may end. -May I say we have done all possible to pacify the women and, children and they have behaved splen-; didly. You can’t beat the good old, Britons after all ! ” i AIR BUSCH’S FEARFUL ORDEAL. WATCHING HTS FAMILY ENGULFED. NELSON, June 20. Air S. Busch, who was a horrified spectator of the eruption which buried his home and family and farm, and all his belongings, and. which blocked the Matakitaki River is here. He bad just .left borne, and was driving into Afureliison at the time. His previous intention was to plough on the.

land that was submerged, but he changed his mind. His first impression was that a stroiig wind was blowing, llien a shake came, and in looking back towards his home, lie saw volumes ol dust, earth and rock rising up. lhe earthquake left him at this time. 11° quickly freed his horses. On looking round again, lie tound that the debris bad reached Morel’s house, and had demolished it. The largest explosion came from the back of Air Busch’s bouse, which he found buried. Knowing bis wife and family were there, lie made bis way to where his house should have been, while the debris was still moving. Nothing could be done. Lverytning had gone. Air Busch then made his way to A 1 Orel’s, which was showing on the edge of the debris. It took fully an hour to get across. Friends then took Mr Busch from the terrible scene. Everything had gone.

NEWS FROM AIURCHTSON. ALREADY 350 GONE NORTH. WELLINGTON, June 20. 'l'lie Postmaster at Murchison- reports to-day at 10 a.m. as follows:—Approximately 350 people, including some this morning have leit ior Nelson. The present position is that the following families remain to be rescued : • Francis White, of Fern Flat. The O’Briens, the Naldcrs, the Burnetts, and James Roberts, ol Paega. Parties have left this morning to visit Francis White and also to bring out Mesdamcs Hutchings, Rogers, Pea-c-bek senr., and Thomson, of Ariki. MISSING PEOPLE. Nothing is known of the Curtis family and of the workmen on the Bailor Diversion Company’s tunnel at Newton Flat. There is no news of the Lyell residents. SITUATION EASING. Warwick Junction and the Alarum settlements are safe. The shock was not so severe there. The shocks are now easier here and are not so frequent, although tnere is an occasional heavy one. The detonations seem to bo more deep-seated; and they are not so wracking or frequent. The rivers are working around their barriers at about their normal flow except the Matakitaki River.

MORE i MISSING AT UPPER „ MOKIHINUI. WELLINGTON, June 20. The Acting Secretary of the General Post Office advises that the following further information has been from the Chief Postmaster at Westport:— . , Infrequent minor quakes continue, but there . were rather severe ones at 9 o’clock last night and 1 o’clock this morning. Yesterday’s gale blew many fences and trees down, damaging telegraph communications. Several minoi casualties resulted from flying sheets of iron. It is calm and fine to-day. David Russell and son, prospectors, left Seddonville at 8 a.m. on Monday with packhorses. taking provisions to camp at the Upper Mbkihinui River. They have not since beeii heard of. Constable Tocher, with *a search party from Seddonville, has returned from a search being unable to find any trace of them. There are many slips at Granitv. NEWS' FROAI MURCHISON. WELLINGTON, June 29. The Postmaster at Murchison reported at 4 p.m.: “Conditions have been much easier since noon. The rain coasml during the night. The Matakitaki dam rose eleven feet during the night, but not to the top ol the haul:, which is yet holding a fair body of water. There is no immediate danger.

“Some news from Newton Flat reports that the men engaged in the 'tunnel are accounted for except one. who was absent posting mail.” Mr Furkett and All* A Lay have left on foot for Inangahua Junction.

-Messrs Ingram and Poulter walked out to Murchison from Maruia and 111port all the Maruia -settlers safe, an;: they have advised all the families concerned.

Airs Grcig and Bill -Morris are com fortable in Nelson Hospital. Louis Hill is now found quite well Recfton Road is‘reported open lo: traffic.

jjV 11 cli’s cutting is .completely gone

Public Works Engineers are inspecting the Alatakitaki road to-day, and linemen are proceeding on the telephone line.. AVe now have a telephone line to a settler’s home near me Alatakitaki dam and will be advised of"any change there.

TUNNELLERS 'SAVE FIVE LIVES

AIJ the school children have been brought in from Newton Flat. They have bad a wracking experience. The teacher, a resident, and three children were standing in 'front of the building when a slip came down and enveloped them. They struggled out, only to lie overwhelmed a second time, they being completely covered. A gang of tuniiellei’s working on a-deviation tunnel arrived and rescued the party, none or whom was injured.”

Reporting at 5 p. lll. the Murchison Postmaster states:—Hutchings, Peacock, Rogers, and Tomson left for

Nelson at 4.30 p.m. in charge of Air Peacock. This now leaves only Alessrs ,). S. Roberts, E. James, F. AL. Burnett, E. Calder, T. O’Brien’s families left in the Maruia (Ariki) Valley.

No notice should be taken of the foolish rumours about smoke and ilniue on the bills/ or about .Murchison being submerged by flood. All is well, ci and the -tremors are much less frequent. MEN -MISSING. t ANOTHER FATALITY FEARED. * REEFTON, June 20. J Air T. Ryan is missing at the Lyell. The Lyell; is still isolated. ‘ Dublin Terrace, near the Lyell, is . reported to have slipped away. • All- Louis Hill is reported to have * been engulfed at -Matari. ( GREY DISTRICT DAMAGE. Al.-uiy slips are recorded in Grey County, especially between Bell Hill and Nelson Creek, also at Cenioteiy Hill, Blackball, while the Moonlight Road, on the other side of the river, lias slipped in several places. There is a subsidence in the road of no less than ten feet near Maori Creek. Alany bridge approaches have fallen, indicating once more that nffide-up land has nut stood the strain like the natural foundations. At Cobden two double chimneys or Air J. Taylor’s crashed through the An extensive slip is reported from the Seven Mile locality, it being stated that the whole face of a cliff came away about 10.30 a.m. yesterday, crashing ‘ into a gully. Fortunately the debris did not affect the railway line. greyaiouth damage. The total damage to property m the Borough of Greymouth is reliably estimated at not less than £50,000. It is understood that the cost of repairs necessitated by the quake at the .Grey Hospital will be over £3OO, about £2OO of which sum will be required to rebuild the wrecked portion of the chimney stack and ilmnaee. COUNTRY BROKEN UP. 1 Cracks are reported 011 the land m ; the Inangahua Valley of considerable ! length and 18 inches in width. They are extremely deep. 5 The tops of the hills have been found to be tumbled about. NEWS FROAI MARUIA SPRINGS. 1 All* Thomas Dellaca arrived at Reelr ton from -Maruia Springs to-day. Ho reports the quakes there continued from Monday. No damage was done. A few trees fell at Lewis Pass. All the workmen at Lewis Pass are safe. The high winds last night were experienced on the road down by AL . Dellaca’s, and Patterson’s lorry had to ' be put into second gear to make head- ~ way on occasions.

A -MISSING MAN SAFE. The Hot Springs are not affected. Mr William Lester, of Maruia, advises that a man named Ingram, whom the wireless last night inquired for. was at Station Creek quite well, and intended leaving for Murchison yesterday. He would possibly be compelled t,,’ return, as the roads were blocked to Murchison through Maruia. AfAN ENGULFED. AL- Lester lias also reported that Mr Louis Hill has been engulfed bv a slip at Matari Hill. His sister, Mrs Poulter, is being advised to that effect. AT THE LYELL. Air A 1 uncaster states that fears are entertained for Mr T. Ryan, of the Lyell, wbo has been up tho Lyell Creek since Monday. ‘bore is little hope given of finding him alive. Considerable uneasiness has been aused as to the whereabouts of Dr Wioken, who left Reefton ior the Lyell ~n Tuesday. Mr Muncaster arrived at Reef ton from the Lyell to-day, and he

.1 vised that the doctor was not expected to /reach Lvell to-day. He has left the Lyell to cross .Manuka Flat, a distance, of seven miles, through rough country, with Mr S. Reid, win was slightly hurt. INANGAHUA MINES. REEFTON, June 20. The sharp quake at 2.35 yesterdaj was not felt at Reefton. In the coal mines, however, it was keenly felt, also in the .low level of the Blackwater Mine at Waiuta. Yvork at all but two of the small coal mines was suspended. Detonations were heard at the Alexander Mine, which scared some of the men, who have left. lyell road destruction. A Gibbs’ service driver got within a mile of Baker’s, which is 3* miles on the Westport side of the Lyell, and then walked back. He reports that the roads are in a deplorable state, being completely swept away in places. Ah- Conlonson, P.AY. Bridge Foreman, walked from Broken Axle Creek, which is five miles on the Nelson side of the Lyell. He -/reports that Air 'l’om Walsil, of the Lyell. sustained a broken arm and a broken leg, but no other casualties were known. TAKAKA SHAKES CONTINUE. AVELTJINGTON, June 20. The Acting Secretary-General of the Post Offic-e reports •as follows:

The Postmaster at Takaka states: “Shocks are still being experienced here, but at lesser intervals.

GLENHOPE REPORT. The Postmaster at Glenhepe reports: ■‘The road is open. The rain has ceased. PRAISE FOR NELSON COLLEGES 1 NELSON, June 20. A The following letter is published in ii Lo-iughi’s “Mail'"—“Now that the a earthquake trouble seems to , have p abated, as the parent of College sehol- e ars, 1 think it is due to be said that a one'reason, under ProViden.ce, that the 0 destruction of the Boys’ College was not at-, o.hpanicd by many l —fatalities and casualties was the admirable disci- r pline of that institution. Occurrences in the class rooms luue been described to me by the boys, and there can be no doubt that the judgment and * control shown by the masters and the confidence and esprit de corps ol the boys were perfect. Such an occurrence is an unsurpassable test oi true discipline and it ’becomes a heritage and tradition beyond price. Aii parents owe the deepest debt of gratitude to the staffs of both colleges', lor, although the position at the Girls’ College was not fraught with Pie same danger, all that 1 have said, applies to conduct there.” R.S.A. OUTER. £SO %01v "WESTPORT MEMBERS; WELLINGTON. June 20. Colonel George Hall, president, and Major Watson, secretary, of the Wellington R.S.A., to-day despatched the following telegram to the Secretary, oi.. the Returned Soldiers’ Association, at Westport: “The Executive of. the Wellington Returned Soldiers’ Assoc'-, iation wish to know if financial fissistance is required for returned soldiers in your district, as the result of tlio earthquake. If assistance if;: 1 wanted, wo are prepared to forward £SO 'immediately. AUCKLAND FUND. STARTED WITH £505. i The Now Zealand Herald has opeiii ed an earthquake relief fund, with a ’ donation by the Directors of £3OO. The. Farmers’ Trading Coy. has de--1 cided to donate £IOO towards’the relicf of earthquake distress. The City Council To-night decided to donate one hundred guineas to tne . earthquake relief fund. e WHY A TOWER FELL. i WELLINGTON, June 19. L The contractor for the Westport e Post Office states that Tie attributes e the collapse of the tower to the fact 1 that it wasT' agai'nst his judgmen' 1 o built on too stable foundations, while ■- the remainder of the building was on floating foundations. He expresses surprise that it has stood so long—it t \vas built in 1910—and is confident it would have been still standing had it been on floating foundations.

A NARROW ESCAPE

LAKE BRUNNER. CONVULSED

Very fortunate was the escape oii Monday morning of Mr Noel Peat, n Moan a farmer, who had intended crossing Lake Brunner. He was on his way down to the shore when he saw a phenomenon which has impressed itself on his mind for all time. The centre of the lake sank into a groat cavity, and then the waters rose in a terrifying fashion, and a great wave swept towards the edges. His boat was thrown clean out of the water and over the slip: There was a great commotion in the lake for some time afterwards.

VANCOUVER. OFFERS HELP. WELLINGTON, Juno 20. Sir Joseph Ward has received a cable from the editor of the “Daily Province,” Vancouver, stating:— “Vancouver will gladly contribute to the earthquake sufferers if privations widespread. Kindly cable if outside help is required.”