QUAKE DAMAGE

Hokitika Guardian, 22 June 1929, Page 5

QUAKE DAMAGE

MR FURKERT’S REPORT

—a —_ OF A TERRIFIC NATURE

WESTPORT’S TROUBLES MAYOR INTERVIEWED. (.By Telegraph, Per Press Association.] WESTPORT, June 20. ‘ Mr J. H. Harkness, Mayor of Westport, in an interview said the Borough Council had not yet had time tj examine the positions. It hoped to get a water supply functioning shortly, and when this was accomplished tiiey would know whether the sewers were in order. The town’s water supply was brought in by an 8-inch and a 14-inch main, which ran side by side. Some of the smaller pipes, were badly broken, but repairs were being effected. He doubted whether any of the pipes in the 'town itself had been broken. If the sewers were badly damaged it would be necessary to institute a pan system, at least for the business part of the town. Dr T. Fletcher Teliofd; Medial Officer of Health, accompanied by an additional inspector, had lb ft iChriiftchurch this morning for Westport. ‘■'The gas supply had been maintained fairly well, but it was dependent to some extent oh the water. The gas manager was experiencing great difficulty, but was carrying on with the service. Leaks were very numerous at the west end of the town, making the pressure very low, but gas was available from the pipes all day to-day, through the supply being cut off at night for conservation purposes. The morning paper is forced to go to press ail hour or twd before midnight. The “Westport' Times” is not publishing at ah, owing to the building being damaged. • Mr Harkness, like, all the other residents suffered grievous damage to his resilience. i'ouiV yninuieys coiiapsed, one carrying away the verandah with tue roof, floor, and posts, and another went through tile roof of the house, but not the ceiling. He has no water supply, and can light no fires. Mr Haricness’s two daughters refuse to sleep in the house, and are accommodated in a motor-car in the garage.

SLEEPING OUT. Mr Harkness told the reporter that prooably IOJ people slept out on the pakiJii land on the otiier side of the river last night, because of the fear of hoods and more ’quakes, 'iney kept themselves warm by means of scrub fires, i Mr Harkness expressed contempt for a man who, he states, drove round last evening in a car advising people to spend the night on the pakilii. His name was used to persuade them. The mayor said that was done in the interests of a taxi-driver. The Council was meeting at the time, and he and ilr H. E._ Holland, M.P. were doing ail possible, together with the other Councillors to avoid a panic. He'*was confident that Ulr G. Laurenson, harbour engineer, was right when he said there was no danger to the town from hoods in the river.

SHORT OF WATER

WESTPORT’S UNHAPPY PLIGHT

WESTPORT, 'June 20,

Close to the railway station in Westport two men are pumping water for dear life. It is .the town’s only supply at present, for that in the river and creeks is too muddy to use. There is a constant stream of residents with buckets, billies, jugs, and petrol tins, and occasionally a big consumer comes along with a tank on a lorry. The two men on the pump are just keeping up with the demand, which is fairly heavy, when the number of callers reaches 400, as it did to-day. They have to keep the railway locomotives supplied as well. Fortunately the electric light has not failed and water may he obtained in the manner indicated, but sanitation is causing everybody a good deal of concern.

To-day men started with the Post Office walls, and the demolition of the front portion of Te Aro House near at hand, in Palmerston street, hut the police stopped them, fearing danger to life in the frequent shakes.

The railway line lias been twisted badly at »Seild'>m r ille and Rirclifield. and some of the bridges have suffered particularly one between Waimamraron and Granity. Only about half the Westport wharf is workable, lmt the damage at the' railway station end is slight.

DAMAGE SOUTH OF MURCHISON

NO MURCHISON-INANGAHUA ROAD FOR MONTHS

CONDITIONS QUIETENING DOWN

GOOD RELIEF WORK

IN STRICKEN AREA

MORE WESTPORT QUAKES

WESTPORT, .Tune 21

THE CASUALTY LIST. Thirteen people were killed and eight were injured in Monday’s earthquake. The following is the list:— KILLED (13). Mrs S. Busch, Matalcitaki Valley. Miss Busch, aged 28, Matalcitaki Valley. Ron Busch, aged 18, Matalcitaki

Valley. Charles Morel, Matalcitaki Valley. Mrs W. Holman and child, Mat.ikitalci Valley. Mrs Gibson and son, Marina Valley, blengarry. Leo Westbrooke, Manna Valley Glengarry. Miss Ferguson, Mamin Valley, >Be:igarry. William Cliamley, 55, Cardiff Dnlge

Mine, Seddonville. Robert McAllister, Glasgow M! ic, Seddonville. Arthur D. Stubbs, Tarakobe.

INJURED (8). Three minors in Cardiff mine at. Seddonville. R. McKay, at Nelson College. L. A. Baigent, at Nelson College. Tom Walsh, Lyell. Sid Reid, Lyell. Alee Stone, Lyell. MISSING. Mr and Mrs Jones and child. Tim Ryan, Newton Elat. MAP OF ’QUAKE. INTERESTING FEATURES. NELSON, June'2' A very interesting sei sinological map prepared by the Government Astronomer, Dr E. Adams, has been forwarded to the Hon. Mr Atmore, Minister repTesenting the Government in connection with the earthquake disaster. The map shows at a glance the intensity of violence of the recent quake, According to the Rossi-Forel system, ten represents a high degree of <r.olence. It is seen from the map Llmr. Westport’s experience is put down os nine, and Greymouth’s at eight, thence declining to seven south of Hokitika.

From Takaka, round the shores of the Ray, and at Nelson, also taking in the Sounds and including Blenheim the figures given are eight to nine. Down the east coats it is lighter, reducing to six or seven at Christchurch, four to five at Timaru, and five ai Dunedin.

In the North island, Wellington is shown at seven to eight; Wanganui seven to eight; Napier five to six; Rotorua four; Gisborne four; Thames our; Auckland four and Whangarei three.

The area of greatest violence indicated by dark colours, extends fjum below Westport to Karamea. At misses Collingwood, and continues on in Je North Island, though off less violence. On the other side the line runs ri a fairly narrow strip up as far as Westport, and then its direction is northeast, with a slight outward course to Cape Foulwind.

NELSON, .Tune 21. “ Business .as usual ” will soon he the order of the day at Murchison. Constable Robertson, in cTTarge rf Murchison, was relieved for a few days yesterday, and he came into town last night. Constable Fit/,gibbon and Constable Jackson are relieving at Murchison. Constable Robertson, who, along with the other settlors remaining in Murchison, has been “on deck” practically since Monday, speaks in glowing terms of the work being done by the remaining settlers in bringing in the people marooned in the outlying parts of the district and taking relief to those in a desperate plight. In some instances, women were sick, and had to he brought out on stretchers. Mr Thom, headmaster of the High School, is the Camp Commandant, and as the settlers are being brought in, they are provided with food, shelter and bedding.

Several more severe quakes have ocruiTcd to-day, lmt without doing any further appreciable damage.