THE EARTHQUAKE

Hokitika Guardian, 1 July 1929, Page 6

THE EARTHQUAKE

. LIGHTER SHOCKS FELT. ..There were further earthquakes experienced locally at 3.10 a.m. on Sunday.morning a long one, though not heavy and a light shock about noon. SHOCKS IN GREYMOUTH. Further earthquake' shocks occurred in Greyniouth yesterday. The first quake took place at 3.15 ; a.m. It was fairly pronounced and lasted approximately five seconds. This was followed about 5 a.m. by.a slight tremor. At 11:55 a.m. there was another quake, with about the same degree .of violence as the one at 3.15: Distinct treniors. were recorded at 4.19 p.m., and there was’also a very faint seismic disturbance at 6.57 p.m. No additional, damage has been reported. WESTPORT QUAKES. .By Telegraph—Press Association). 't : ' . I • . WESTPORT, June 30. After a fairly quiet Saturday, earthquakes made their presence unpleasantly felt numerous occasions to-day. The biggest and most prolonged shake was at 3.30 a.m. i While,the people yface the quakes bravely through the day, they still find those at night very, uncanny and nerveracking. A visit to the cemetery shows that tomb ,stones, and many beautiful and costly memorials crashed or were displaced, the shocks a 150,., damaging the concrete floors and kerbings, -,and these include the memorials of many old-time prominent citizens. .v • ••'! \’- Captain 'Buckley is expected from Christchurch to-morrow to take to Karamea a radio expert and auxiliary radio receiving .and sending-sets, and later a complete set. , - MURCHISON TRIBUTES. v ... WELLINGTON, June 29. . . Referring to the criticism of the Government in connection with the measures taken for the relief' of the Murchison people, Mr Hugh Fraser, in conver.sation with a.“ Mail” reporter, to-day said that the actual facts were that communications w T ere down following on the big shake, The engineer in charge of public works at Gowan (Mr Ensell) could not communicate with the District Office at Nelson, so lie. took matters ,into his* own, hands, and by noon on Monday (the day of the shake) he had certain plans in active operation for the opening of the roads. Later in the day he went, to. v Glenhope, and then conferred with "Nelson. He received, further authority. Mr McKeeney, bridge foreman of the Public Wors Department, left his usual work, in order to assist Mr Ensell, and'he I had worked, to Mr Fraser’s own knowledge,. night,, and^dav,.,at,., considerable , {Verso,nad "to ke£p roads : open # The Murchison peopVe. having decided •to evacuate the women and children, ,and, realising that the Public Works Department could not possibly de everything, decided to organise a gang themselves,, which included office clerks and other available men, and they proceeded to open the road until a publicworks gang was met at Doctor’s Creek, they having opened the road up to that point from Gowan by mid-day on Tues,day. Cars were then being loaded at Murchison with refugees' for Nelson. “Lean say without hesitation,” concluded Mr Fraser, “ that the Public Works Department acted promptly and post-hastil.v, and did everything that it was possible to do in the circumstances; It is only fair that we should say this: We cannot find words to express our admiration, to Messrs Newman Bros, and the drivers for what they did for us.’. • Mr Fraser added that Mr J. Newman and Mr Crawley (manager) went to Murchison as soon ns possible to see for themselves what the conditions were. The car drivers, sometimes at | considerable personal risk/; maintained regular communication during-the most •anxious, time, and ..by their cheery and 'obliging . manner helped the settlers very much. The arrival of one of these drivers regularly in the township every day was like a ray of sunshine. Ho could not speak too highly of the drivers and the they did.

A SCENE OF DESOLATION /DAMAGE AT SEDDONVILLE. WESTPORT, June 28. The Seddonville correspondent of the * ‘Westport News” writes:— “At exactly 11.20 a.m. on the 17th. inst., with a whistling'shriek the monster was upon us, having approached from the sea, i.e. north-west. \ The whole place, valley and hills, was ode heaving mass 'on which it was impos-sible-to keep one’s feet. Chimneys fell ill all directions, water tanks hurst, and crockery and glassware joined in one mighty crash. Everywhere on the flat large cracks appeared, and water j and mud went up like geysers to a height of several feet. In the Alokihimii Gorge it 'seemed as though a i tremendous lioinbardinent had commenced. Fire - flashed ’ from falling stones, while clouds of dust and steam 1 arose over the valley. Anyone who wishes to see the tremendous power of Nature should pay a. visit to Welcome Bay, where thousands of tons of material containing huge blocks of stone from 50 to 100 tons in weight have boon blown off the mountain side right across the Mokihinui for a distance of from 20 to 30 qliains. , “In the mines the shake was really ’

terrifying, and very few expected to get out alive. However, when a count was made it was found that all but two had ' escaped. While the miners were busy -risking their lives to get at the bodies of their two mates, others made a search as far as the county huts up the old Karamea track for the two Russels who had left for Tate’s farm an hour before the ’quake. , No trace of them could be found, liowevei, and on Friday morning a party consisting of' Messrs W. Mumu, G.’Tate ,and G. Stuart set, off to try to get through to W. Bean, who was up in Tate’s top hut, The whole country was still on the move and the weather was atrocious. The party was suecessfUl, returning on Monday night with Bean, who was none the worse for his experience. “Looking round Seddonville noiv, one sees a scene of desolation. Only one brick chimney remains standing. Hardly a house lias tanks left, numbers of houses are off the piles and stand on the ground. The bins and flitmirigs of the various mines are badly damaged and will take some weeks to repair. All around the hills have slipped and where before were hush ■chul faces now stand huge hare slips. During this trying "time everyone lias worked for the common good, and committees have been formed to assess the damage and render assistance to those needing it.”, » ■

DR TELFORD’S REPORT. REEFTON, June 28. Dr T. Fletcher Telford, District Health Officer for ' -Canterbury and Westland, arrived from Westport tonight. He reports that health matters iii Westport are very good considering the ordeal the people liavc gone through. There is no outbreak of disease of any kind, although it will take some days for anything to manifest, itself. All the medical men are keeping a close, watch in lcgai.d to the general health of ' the people should any outbreak take place. It requires at’least a fortnight for diseases from had water and inipei feet sanitation to incubate before an outbreak takes .place. There is a remarkable freedom from colds.

RELIEF FUND. DANNEVIRKE, June 29. The “ Evening News ” to-day, on behalf of its subscribers, wired £IOO. to the Mayor of Westport for immediate relief of Karamea settlers. This amount is in' addition to £SO transmitted previously by the “News” to the Mayor of Nelson for refugees in that 'town. The Borough Council last night voted £2O to the relief fund. Bannevirke contributions to date are as follows: — “Evening News” fund £240 Mayor’s fund L4l. Total '-■•'■ 881 "