HASTINGS REPORT

Hokitika Guardian, 4 February 1931, Page 6

HASTINGS REPORT

BUSINESS AREA BURNED. ‘ WELLINGTON, February 3The following further advices regarding the earthquake have been received by the Secretary of the Post Office from the Postmaster at Hastings, through the Postmaster at Waipu kit rau. Received by telephone at o*so p.m.— “The business area of Hastings is practically ruined.” All of the brick buildings are either wholly or partially shaken down. AH of the chimneys in the private houses are clown. The post office tower is also down, and the old portion of the building is badly wrecked. The new portion is fairly intact. All the stafl are sate. One woman was killed in front of the' post office. Roach’s building fell right down and was burnt. Several persons were killed therein. The official death list at 3 p.m. was twenty-one. The only communication outward is by means of a wireless with Station 2BE, Gisborne. The station here has no electric power, and is working on battery power. Line <rangs are out north and south to try and get through. NAPIER POSITION WORSE. The position at Napier is reported to he worse than in Hastings (continues the Hastings Postmaster). Part of Bluff Hill, with the houses thcrc-on, lias been shaken down. Fires have broken out in Napier and there is no water available, and so buildings are being dynamited to try and stop the fires. There is no word of the Napier deaths or casualties, but they must he severe.

Committees have been organised in Hastings to ration the supplies. All business has stopped, as all of the shops are in ruins. Police control lias been organised and gangs have been also organised to clear the wreckage and search for bodies.

The water supply and electric supply are cut off. The town will he in darkness to night.

Ambulance supplies are urgently needed. We are endeavouring to get them by aeroplane from Gisborne.

FIRES IN HASTINGS. EYE-WITNESS’S STORY. WELLINGTON, February M. A Wellington man, who has just armed from Hastings, says that the town is in ruins. The 'death roll must be heavy. .Many shops had collapsed, lie saw numerous cars and lorries smothered with bricks and mortar. Fires broke out in parts of Hastings. The Fire Brigade was evidently delayed by the collapse of part of the station. All the water mains were broken, and there was practically no water. . 'Roach’s big store is a mass of rubbish. I lie iront rind hack of the Grand Hotel collopsed. air Slicplierdson says he heard the death roll must lie thirty or forty. Not a chimney- is standing between Napier and Waipukurau. i<e.vv water tanks remain standing. The road to Napier is clear. There is one dangerous part near Waipukurau, where the road is cracked. FIRE DAMAGE./ WELLINGTON, February 3. The I’osLinaster at Hastings later reported: News from Napier is that the fires cleaned out the area from Dickens Street along Hastings Street to the old Rest Office, and right, through to Clive Square, and thus practically the whole business area, covering half a mile square, has h en destroyed. The new Napier Post Office was destroyed by fire.

WAIfTKI'KAU WRECKAGE. •KNI/R.Uid’S LOSSWAIPL’K ERA C, February 3. An earthquake ol ntiparale u u severity struck \i aipukui'iiu at 10.-15 this morning, canning tlie buildings to oscillate violently, and levelling the chimneys throughout the borough. Practically every brick building was •severely damaged, whilst the wreckage in tlie shops is indescribable. Large windows ol plate glass crashed into the main street on both sides, their contents being smashed to atoms. The Tavistock Hotel had the top portion of the wall at the rear of the building shorn clear away, exposing the bedrooms, whilst masses of fallen masonry and bricks smashed crockery and stocks in trade littered over lloors and water leaking through ceilings.

The Heretaunga Dairy Factory has been put almost out of commission. Hundreds of pounds' worth of damage was done to the stock at the Hawke’s Bay Farmers’ premises, also at three chemsst’s shops. 'l’he tower and clock. weighing several tons, at tlie Post Office crashed into 'the main street, scattering bricks and solid pieces of masonry in the roadway.

The switchboard in the telephone exchange swayed ominiously, tlie operators having a most trying time.

The hospital, and the primary and secondary schools were also damaged. A whole section of brick wall collapsed on a Chinese fruiterer’s shop, levelling it absolutely flat. There was a Chinese woman inside, she had a miraculous escape.

There is a large crack in the Sanatorium Hill road, which renders heavy traffic almost impossible.

The northern end of (lie traffic bridge is also damaged. The extent is not ascertained, but it is believed it will amounit to a large sum. GLSBORNE STR C( TURKS COLLAPSE. GISBORNE, February 3.

The parapet and a portion of the wall of the Xheepowner’s premises crashed through the roof of the Harbour Board’s office, wrecking the draught quarters.

BIG FISSURES. GISBORNE, February 3. At Manutuki, a settler reports thait. fissures opened bis property in which one could bury a sheep, and from which sand emerged. FURTHER NORTH. SHARP AUCKLAND QUAKE. AUCKLAND. February 3. A sharp earthquake was felt in various parts of Auckland at 10.50 a.m. No damage is reported. MAIN TRUNK LINE ESCAPES.

WELLINGTON, February 3. .The Railway Department reported af. 1 n.m. that as far as was known the Main Trunk line to Auckland was clear. The two o’clock express for Auckland was ifo leave as usual. SOUTH ISLAND AFFECTED. TATvAKA’S HEAVY SHAKE. WELLINGTON, February 3. ‘Reports received by the Post Office from Takaka state that a heavy and prolonged earthquake was experienced reaching six on the Rossi Forel scale. No material damage is reported. Ihe direction was west to east. NELSON. February 3. Ait Takaka there was a heavy and prolonged earthquake reaching six on the Rossi Forel scale. The direction being west to east. long quake at NELSON. NELSON. February 3. A prolonged but mild earthquake shock with swinging motion, was Iclt at Nelson at 10.15 this morning.

TREMORS LAST A MINUTE. AT INVERCARGILL. INVERCARGILL, February 3. A slight shock of earthquake was felt in Invercargill at about 10.55 this morning. The tremor was by no means violentv and if h e only indication perceptible by many people was that the eleotric lights in many city buildings, particularly on the lower floors, commenced to oscillate and continued to do so for a minute or so. TH < MLS AN DS HOM EL ESS. AUCKLAND, February 3. During the afternoon and evening messages were received from 11.M.SVeronica as follows: IJN p.m. Must of the Napier stone buildings are demolished, and many other houses 'destroyed. Many fires arc raging. All medical assistance is urgently required. Ifc is impossible to give any idea of the extent of the damage, hut it is loured there is serious loss of lile.

2,15 p.m. Fires are still raging, and i| is considered that thousands will he homeless. Food, etc., will he required. 2.35 p.m.—As much medical assistance afi possible is required. The town is wrecked and fires are raging.

3.3') p,in.—lt is impossible to estimate the extent of the damage, but i( is very severe. The steamers Taranaki and Northumberland are in the harbour. All our available men have been landed and refugees arc coming aboard.

5.15 p.m. The fires arc still raging

GOVERNMENT'S ACTION

WELLINGTON, February 3

In the onr!y afternoon, after a Inirrioil consultation with his colleagues, the Prime Minister announced that he had arranged for fifteen doctors, one student, thirty nurses, the Senior Medical Officer of the Health Department, together with an X-ray plant, two amlndances and medical stores and supplies to he despatched to the earthquake area. He said New Plymouth and Wanganui were also sending medical assistance, and several nurses wore also proceeding to Napier from Tnnmartinui. The Minister of Lands and the Minister of Health left Wellington by the two o’clock train this afternoon for Palmerston North, it being their intention to break the journey there and proceed by motor-car to the scene of the disaster.

Mr Oobbe and Mr Masters, who are taking charge of the food organisation and the shelter arrangements, left Wellington by motor-ear at about six o’clock. It was their intention to proceed as far as possible this evening. Before Mr Cohbe and Mr Masters departed they arranged for supplies, including 12,500 blankets, 500 tents, 10 marquees, axes, shovels, eating utensils, and other equipment, which might be necessary, to be sent from Trentham. These articles were loaded into a special relief train of fifteen trucks, which left for the East Coast at, about 5.15 o’clock this evening. They will he loaded into lorries at Ormondville and conveyed to where required the arrangements for lorry transport being left to Mr Ransom. Full hospital equipment of 200 beds was also secured from the Defence Authorities at Trent-ham. and this was conveved hv lorry to the devastated area this evening.

The ''Director of Education, Mr T. B

Strong, has informed the Minister of Education, Hon. H. Atmore, that officers of the Education Department have offered their services in any capacity in Napier or Hastings. The Commander of the Veronica wirelessed at 8.25 p.m.—“ lhe Veronica is acting as headquarters. I suggest that medical assistance arriving at Napier comes to the Veronica in the Inner Harbour for any information.”

NAVY ACTS PROMPTLY

AUCKLAND, February 3

As soon as the news of the earthquake disaster was received, H.M.S. Dunedin, and H.M.S. Diomede, made ready for sea, and steamed out of the harbour at 3 p.m., carrying 9 doctors, 15 nurses, and a large quantity oi medical stores to succour the injured. The order to proceed to sea- 'was given by Commodore Blake as soon as the Veronica’s wireless messages gave a hint of the dimensions of the disaster, and the departure of the warships was arranged with the greatest efficiency and despatch. Commodore Blake, receiving word that casualties must he expected, gave instructions to communicate with the Superintendent, of the Auckland Hospital, Dr. C. E-. Maguire, with an urgent request for medical and surgical assistance. Dr Maguire immediately got in touch with a number of doctors and with the result that within, an, hour uiuba-hall nine doctors and fifteen nurses arrived at the Admiralty launch steps, and were taken on board the warships, in naval launches. The following doctors left:—Dr 11. L. Gould, Assistant ical. Superintendent, at Auckland Hospital; I)r J. C. Britton and Dr R. Maxwell of the Resident Medical Staff of the Auckland Hospital; J)r Hay, of (he Medical Staff of the Auckland Mental Hospital; Dr Watson, and Di Robb, ex-naval surgeons; Dr A. CPurehas, Dr Noakes, and Dr Donald Mackenzie. NERSES VOLUNTEER. The Superintendent of the Auckland Trained Nurses’ Association received a call from Dr Maguire at 12.30 p.m.. asking for volunteers to proceed at once to the scene of the disaster. The nurses were at lunch, hut within an hour 15 were choTsen, had put a few travelling necessities together, and were speeding in taxis to the launch steps. . ... . A large quantity of first aid stores was sent on hoard the warships from the Auckland Hospital, as well as a number of cooking stoves.

The Defence Department despatched stretchers while surgical and medical stores, and a.portable X-ray plant was sent, together with two skilled operators to use it. EXCHANGE CLERK HURT. WELLINGTON, February 3. The first casualty reported is an exchange clerk of the name of H. P. Hop kins in the Waipukiirau Post Office, who was sent to hospital badly injured. THREE MINUTE QUAKE. IN TAUPO DISTRICT. WELLINGTON, February 3. The Post Office has advised from Taupo at -12.12 p.m., as followsAt; 10.52 a.m. there was a severe shock, lasting three minutes. Shocks are still continuing every few minutes. All the telegraph lines south of Taupo areallected.

MAIL BY PLANE. WELLINGTON. February 4. An aeroplane went up to Hastings from Rongotai drome at four o’clock this morning and left there with mail matter for Wellington. It is expected here at twelve. MUCH SYDNEY CONCURN. 100 DEATH REPORTED, SYDNEY, February 3. There was an earthquake recorded at the seismograph at Sydney Observatory just before nine o’clock this morning. Tremors thereafter continued tor: ninety minutes. The seismograph boom oscillated tb its fullest extent. The officials are of the opinion that, but for the stops cheeking the swing, the instrument would have been dismantled. The oscillations were the most severe ones recorded since the day of the big New Zealand shake of June 17th. 1029. All the editions of the evening papers here contain full page accounts of the Napier disaster. They reported the death roll at one hundred. The papers also have illustrations of the Napier marine foreshores, and buildings. Leading citizens of Sydney are expressing their deepest regret that the* damage and loss of life are so heavy.

Ha wives Bay people at present in Sydney include Mr James Lowry and bis wife, who are visiting here for the wedding of Mr Erie Nelson, of Otane, to Miss Ealkiner, of Bellevue. The bridal pair are booked to leave for Auckland on Thursday in the Aorangi. ANXIOUS ENQUIRERS. fßeceived this day at K a.m.) SYDNEY, February 4. Newspaper offices in Sydney and Melbourne were inundated this evening with enquiries bv people anxious to ascertain the fate of relatives in the earthquake area. Telephones were kept busy for the same reason. New Zealanders resident in Australia are extremely anxious for news, which ,is filtering through very slowly, owing to the apparent difficulty of. ■establishing 1 communication with the affected area. This explanation is invariably the only one which the newspaper staffs are able to supply to anxious inquirers.