THE EARTHQUAKE

Hokitika Guardian, 2 July 1929, Page 6

THE EARTHQUAKE

• SIiUR ON WESTPORT. DR'T. F. TELFORD. PROVOKES INDIGNATION. v 'By Telegraph—Press Association). t :'!y77 WESTPORT, July 1. Indignation is expressed here over certain remarks made, by Dr T, F. Telford on his return to Christchurch. Dr Telford says ; “The people of Westport are condoling with each other, and are considering getting in. relief money, instead of getting to work.” A responsible citizen comments “With this annoying and monstrous statement, Dr Telford prefixes his report,” and proceeds to refute it by facts, concluding: “It’s the greatest libel that was ever uttered against a community—a great insult added to a great injury.” / * THE POSITION AT WESTPORT. t' . ■■ t •,i* • N i SANITARY SERVICES RESTORED. DR TELFORD’S VISIT. •!" ' • : ' - } '//'' V ti CHRISTCHURCH, July 1. “The people-of Westport are condoling with each ijfther and considering getting in relief mppuy instead of getting to work.”That was an impression formed by Dr T. Fletcher Telford; Medical Officer of Health for Canterbury and Westland, who returned on Saturday from a visit -to ■••• Westport. “They have had a very severe shake over there/’ he said, “and the people are very much unnerved and somewhat dazed. However, they are gradually doming back to themselves.” f i ,Dr Telford said that a sanitary service had been established, sufficient to serve the needs of thertown in the meantime. . While he was tljere, an eight-inch water main was put into' operation. This :main is sufficient to provide a water-supply- for all essen-. tial needs, though it js -not sufficient’ to,give much pressure. It is however, sufficient to supply the 'hot water, sys-i terns. The only failure was in one' hotel, where the pressure proved in- 1 adequate. The trouble was got over, however, by installing a -tank on the roof and supplying this by., means. of fc an-’electric' pump. * f ' ’ / • ,

Dr Telford found that the sewers were intact. He inspected both septic •tanks in the town and found tthefri unharmed. Smaller connections fi'om; houses to mains had been damaged, ' and their 'repair would be a matter 'for the individual householders.

“At the present time, what is required,” said Dr Telford, “is for expenditure of money on the'repair of chimneys and making the houses wat-er-tight.” This was especially the case, he added, where old people were concerned.

Tt was a very lucky circumstance that the earthquake had taken place in, the daytime. That fact probably lessened the loss of life. The electric power was cut off for only three hours. Had the shake occurred at night, it would probably have caused a panic, and fires 'might have happened. Dr Telford found that there were at least fifteen breaks in the gas mains, and it was a very lucky thing that no explosions had occurred, particularly as many people did not seem to realise the danger and went about smoking the same as usual. The gas mains were now 'being repaired. The Borough Council had plenty of pipes, being short of only eight-inch and fourteen-inch pipes. Supplies of these were now on order. „ Dr Telford said'he found some little friction between certain of the officials in the .town, and had to exert his authority in some cases to get things done. The town now, however, was able to carry on all right. The essential services wei'e functioning sufficiently to meet the needs. He pointed out, , however, that if anything iii the nature of a disease outbreak was to take place as a result of the contamination of ,the water supply, it would not become apparent for a fortnight or three weeks.

OCEAN BED RAISED. ,y'. OPPOSITE KARAMEA -ROAD. WESTPORT, July 1 Air Dan Lewellyn, of Waimarie, on the coastal route -to Karamea-, writes: “The following may be of interest- in connection with the recent disturbance. From the white cliffs to my place, the ocean bed has -risen to a height of at least 100 feet at the highest ,point for a, distance of about a mile, probably more; and in width the rise varies up to 500 yards. On the top -of -this formation,, there are hundreds of pawa shells and mussels, also •crabs and other fish.” “Opposite this upheaval on my property there is, a huge cavity to a depth of, I should think, 100 -feet, with an area of hundreds of yards.

“My property is badly torn up. I don’t know what stock is lost. The worst trouble is that I cannot get the remaining cattle away on account of slips.” Only mild ’quakes, few fin number, were felt here to-day. The higher classes in schools re-, sumed. ' CORBYVALE CUT OFF. It will be necessary for the residents, to evacuate the settlement of Corby-: vale, between Westport and Karamea, owing 'to the earthquakes having destroyed all means of road ’communication to the locality. The settlers will leave their farms for a time until the country settles and slips cease, when a road can be made again. On Saturday a survey party from the Rullei Goige t railway works went through 'to explore and cut a foot track to Corbyvale. This will closely follow the road from Mokihinui across various slips. It is hoped this track will be cut within a fortnight. Meantime there is no lack of, supplies, and more can be brought, but several elderly women are among the settlers to be evacuated from the locality, which consists of a flat ringed by the ranges, in - which north and south there are numerous, big slips. The'road to Corbyvale has fallen in places as much as sixteen feet. LANDSLIDE VICTIMS. BODIES TO BE RECOVERED. ”~NELSON, July 1. This, morning Constable Robertson and Constable. Jackson, stationed at Murchison, in company with a number of settlers, left Murchison,- for thebodies of victims lost in the landslides., ’PLANE GOES Tt) KARAMEA. WELLINGTON, July 1. Hon. T. M. Wil'ford has received a telegram from Captain Buckley stating that he reached Westport to-day in lrs. plane at 10.48 a.m., and that at 11.20 a.mi lie despatched. Captain Burrell, with radio equipment for Karamea. REFUGEES RETURNING. FROM NELSON TO MURCHISON.; NELSON, July 1. The feeling at Murchison is that all abl«-bodied men should return to restore the‘homes for their families. The ; earth tremprs and detonations are now., much less frequent in Murchison, and "are hot at all disturbing. Twenty-five more of the settlers are returning this morning to Murchison from Nelson, and more are following as soon as possible. •

THE “ARAHURA.”

TO CONTINUE ' WESTPORT

RUNNING

WELLINGTON, July 1

Arising out of representations made to ’the Prime Minister by Mr H. E. Holland, after an interview with the managers of the Anchor Line, Sir ‘Jqspph Ward has now advised Mr Holland that the Government, is prepared'to agree to the continuation of :a weekly service by the “ Arahura ” to •Westport so long as the. circumstances 'require it, the Government meeting the 'Company as regards any loss in the (running of the Arahura.

TO RESTORE MURCHISON. - PLANS FOR GOVERNMENT. PROPOSED AT NELSON. NELSON, July T'. A mooting of the Emergency Committee was'held at the Council Chambers to-day. After some discussion, a resolution was passed that the government be asked to forthwith instruct the Public Works Department to carry out the restoration of Murchison with a view of repatriating the Murchison refugees at the earliest possible foment. A further resolution dealing with this question was that- such restoration be deemed to include the replacing of private dwellings on their piles; structural repairs, including the. restoration olf chimneys; the replacment of water tanks and stand; and a general cleaning up. ' Mr May, the District Engineer of the 'Public Works Department, said that if the ‘Government approves of the suggestion contained in the committee’s resolution, it is proposed establish at Murchison a camp for workmen who will be engaged upon the‘reconstruction, and that work will be -undertaken on a face, y Mr May added that Murchison must act as'.'tlie distributing centre for tlu return of the settlers within that area and lienee the desirability of re-es-tablishing the township as soon as possible. NEW CAR SERVICE' VIA MARTHA. MR •J. NEWMAN’S‘SURVEY OF , ROUTE. NELSON, July 1. Mr J. Newman, of Newman Bros Ltd., has arrived back in Nelson after traversing the route from Westport to Murchison, via the Maruia, in -company with Mr A. Agent, one of the Westport driver's for the firm of Newman Bros. There are two slips on the road as far as -Walker’s,- blit the' road is being kept open from Westport to Berlin’s. Very little damage has been done with the exception of a slip at the Big Ohika; two chains wide, and two at Walker’s. The country at Wliitecliffs behind Rocklands, is shattered, similarly to the Owen country. The lower .part of the Buller is of a rocky formation, and very little stuff has come down.

HUGE SLIDES NEAR LYELL A start was 'made from the Inangahua Junction in the morning to walk to the Lyell. There were several minor slips between the Junction and Arnold’s. Six miles out of Reefton, between there and the Lyell, there are big landslides, and at two of them the road has been completely carried away for half a mile into the river. From the -top off the slides to the river "bed the distance is between 700 and 1000 feet. Mr Newman found that movements of the earth was going on all the time at the Lyell. A party led by Constable Houston was met. They had been endeavouring to locate a missing prospector named Tim Ryan. The road ibetween the Lyell and Inangahua, in the. opinion of Mr Newman, will be completely out of commission for six months at least. uOOD RIVER TO RAHU SADDLE. From. Reefton, a start was made for the Maruia. Over the proposed route, the first 28 miles is very good, with, the exception of one or two sunken culverts. The scenery-here is magnificent, and even, better than that of the Bidler Gorge. For 28 miles the In.angah.ua River was followed, to its source ,the ltahu Saddle, with the watershed of the lnangahua on one side, aiid that of the Maruia Springs, eight miles further on. The road, however, is in very bad order, but parties of men wer forming new roads, which, when finished, should be first- , class. ' It is reckoned that the road from Springs Junction to the Springs will he finished before Christmas. No damage appeared to‘ have been done to the Maruia Springs themselves, although Mr Newman said that the bath house and the appointments need attention, but their present condition was not due to the earthquake. From the Springs, Mr Newman wept back over the ‘ sanie road to Springs Junction. OVER THE SADDLES.^. . Next morning (Friday), horses were obtained, and the Maruia River was crossed, a. halt being made at Williscrofts, Where a car was requisitioned to get as far as Lester’s Accommodation House. A. car was again ob- . tained for the next ten miles to the foot of the ..Maruia Saddle, where a slip blocked . further progress by car. There was about a toot of snow on toe ltahu and Maruia Saddles. The party walked .over the Maruia Saddle. The road should only take a few days to clear. Here Mr . May, Nelson District Engineer, and his party, were met, Mr May having arranged to have the road cleared at the foot of the .. Maruia Saddle. .

•Progress was,,.made along the bank of the Matakitaki River. A concrete bridge was Crossed at Upper Matakitaki, and the walked down the Murchison side of the river as tar as the Mammoth Hotel, where the night was. spent. On vi the following morning, a discarded motor car was picked tip on the side of the road, and this managed to trike the party for threo miles before it" refused The road thus far, stated Mr Newman, would need very little’ reconditioning. A week or'ten days at the most should aqe the job. ! WHOLE Si ROAD GONE., f nw ■' ' Between the : Eight Mile and Six Mile, the whole road has slipped into the river, and the party'had to take to the bush, where a rough track had been formed front the “Six Mile into Murchison. Two bicycles brought them into the township at 1.30 p.m. on Saturday, and a car was then taken for the remainder of tthe journey to Nelson. Mr Newman stated that he had made arrangements with Mr Williseroft to haul the cars, when necessary through the Maruia ford. . Arrangements were also' in progress fo'r mails and pn to be transferred at the j-.ight Mi e : slip, where a tramp will have to be made for about one and a-lialf, miles through the bush to connect on too other side. These two •places—a I the Springs Junction ford, and the Light' Mile slip—are the only two which will' cause any trouble between Reefton 'and Murchison. NEW SERVICE NEXT WEEK.

(Mr Newman added that it was imped, within a week or ten days, to be running service cars over the new •route from Nelson to Westport via tlie 'Maruia. The Westpor.t-Reefton road was reopened three days after.it was blocked. The new. route is about twenty miles longer to Reefton. On their way through Murchison district, Mr Newman and his companion obtained food from deserted homesteads and fed dogs and< other, animals. Evei'3 r house so far as could he seen, had been damaged. . ' ALARMIST REPORTS. ~t :, NONE JN .CANADA. WELLINGTON, duly. 1. The following cable has been re-vived-hy 'Sir 'Joseph Ward from the R.t. Han.- Mr MacKenzie King, Premier of. Canada: “I duly received your telegram on the 19th of June regarding the recent earthquake in New Zealand. I desire to convey the deep 'sympathy of the Canadian people in the loss of life and property which occurred, and an expression of their relief on learning that the damage was not more severe. The press reports appearing in 'Canada, so fai as noted, nave not been of an alarmist or. exaggerated type, but I had much pleasure in arranging for giving immediate publicity throughout Canada to your message, which placed tlje occurrence in proper proportion.” (

'RELIEF FUND. WELLINGTON, July 1. Amounts received by the Prime Minister for the central earthquake relief fund total to Ist July £7792 17s sd. The earthquake relief fund in Christchurch is nearly the £IO,OOO mark. It is made up as follows: Mayors "list, £5612; “The Press” list, £3293; New Zealand Newspapers Ltd. list, £540. WELLINGTON’S TOTAL. WELLINGTON, July I. The total amount subscribed towards the earthquake fund in Wellington until noon to-day, was approximately £11,500. PALMERSTON NORTH FUND. ~ PALMERSTON N., July 1. The Borough Council to-night donated £IOO to the earthquake, relief fund, and a £5 compassionate allowance to each of two householders wjio suffered severely as a result of the recent tornado which visited the town. The Mayor’s earthquake fund now totals £663.

Just opened up, beautiful new enrtainings at Is ,6d a yard. Call and see these at Frank 'Bade’s.