THE EARTHQUAKE

Hokitika Guardian, 2 July 1929, Page 5

THE EARTHQUAKE

EARTHQUAKE JjUNDS.,

fi H , i.lly Telegraph, Per Press Association

OAM'ARU, July 2 Tlie Harbdtij; Board donated _ to the eartiiquake mud.

ASHBURTON’S FUND

ASHBURTON, July 2,

A first instalment of £SOO, of the earthquake relief fund, inaugurated by tlie Ashburton “Guardi:\ii ’ was today forwarded to the Premier. Tlie fund now totals over £BOO. <■

WELLINGTON, July 2. The Mayor’s relief fund 'now tin tabs over £IO,OOO.

RELIEF' FUND. •SUVA, July 2. The Fiji “Times” has opened V. fund for relief of the earthquake sufferers, the colony appreciating the help given by the Dominion on many occasions, especially during the typhoid and influenza l epidemics.

NELSON EDUCATION BOARD

REPORT ON SCHOOLS.

NELSON, July 2

Mr If. J. Thornton, Secretary of the Nelson Education Board, and Mr A. H. - caper, architect th the Board, have returned lVbin a tour of the damaged area in tlie Board’s district on the West Coast. It so happens that the worst affected districts are all ,'under! the Board’s jurisdiction. Only eleven schools have not been visited, including seven in Karamea, pud information has been received regarding all but the seven schools in Karamea. As each school was visited arrangements were made ifor repairs and the resumption of school work. v ' ■ 1

Mr Thorndon said it was remarkable bow 'warmly they were welcomed by the people of the' scattered localities, who bv the visit seemed to be re-convinced the rest of the world was going on normally. It is estimated the damage to school buildings in the Board’s area, apart from one Karamea block, the Westport High School, will amount to £5,000. The Minister 'of . Education has already made a grant of £ISOO, with more to follow. -•

In the great majority of instances the 'damage consists of broken chimneys and tanks, with a number of shifted off the piles. ' It was remarkable that, of tlie many hundreds .of children, attending' the schools At the time of the earthquake, only one child had been seriously injured .fat Westport), though some, especially those at Newton Flat, had had very rough treatment. He was glad to l>e able to state that the Westport child injured was progressing splendidly and though her "Teg -pad been badly fractured there would be no permanent in jury A The;,press-'re-port that the, leg had to be .amputated Was fortunately* 1 one;'* ■ A curious‘thing noted was that the Waimangaroa school-at the foot of the hill on the road, , was badly damaged, While the school at Denniston, off; a hill, and that of Burnett’s Face, was very slightly shaken, due probably to' the big granite hill npt taking the shake. * Y '•,/

Another curious thing found was that the Tiriroa School, at the Public .Camp in the Buller Gorge, between Hawke’s Crag and Little Hawke’s Crag, lost only about an hour’s school. Right in the midst of the affected area they seenued somehow or other to escape the severe buffeting experienced elsewhere. In very many instances damaged bridges seemed to have been lifted up about ten feet above the approaches, on the Pahiki land. A long linfe of telegraph poles, noted previously for tlieir correct position, all now had a “Very big lean in . the same direction and .to the same extent.