A RESUME

Hokitika Guardian, 4 February 1931, Page 6

A RESUME

BY TO-DAY’S “DOMINION”. A STORY OF DISASTER AND ... i HORROR. (By Telegraph.—Special to Guardian). WELLINGTON, February 4. This morning’s “Dominion” says New Zealand stands aghast in the presence of all earthquake calamity unprecedented in the ’history of - the country. A flourishing and populous port has been laid in ruins and - the neighbouring towns severely shaken-. The .most painful tidings. otT-all is injury and loss of life sustained. It appears front it he first reports of the disaster to give cause-for the gravest anxiety. It 'will be a day or two liefore the full extent of the visitation can be measured. From details thus far-to hand; .however, there can bo no doubt, that, the devastion caused in Hawkcs ■ Bay and neighbouring districts-. must • be. 'enormous. Apart, froiii- the actual loss ot life, injury and . destruction of pro-PT-VtJV-the seismic, Upheaval is :reported to have tanked’such an appreciable upward tiltingof tbefySea floor-the port tbatArts-future fuav be gravely in question. Tf such ■should unfortunately prove ifo be the case, then the'e.ataStrophe which liasTi clesrenclerl ; ' :tipoii this progressive community, will ..have indeed complete.. It has l>eeii a hiatter'of deep satis-ffi.-Hmi F' note the nrais^worthe- prom. ptitude with which The Government, Navv and all conctfrfted sprung to action with (the meatfutes for relief of the sufferers. . MWeT it cuse for congratulation that the;iihval vssol was most pfovidepH^||^; n t Napier when the befell: .The Commander and Guns rmiupany,:; Avith t.bat charactoristie 'initiative ficiency which have ever distinguished the Senior Service, have taken*/charm of the rescue work and .incidtmtallv kept a grateful conntrv in tongl) bv wireless' with '4he. course of evp»% in the '.stricken ’’’'j isol-itoO - Everything ..humanly. possible ( seteins to have been, done,..and,.,.is Jjeiivr do-e to i "the juirred .and,.. e t ]f^ld , '-h tUfj' peecssarv organisation for, .m‘a ini' I-TiVinC the homeless and 'victims of tIVCf calamity i and ifo. carry on

comin’Miitv services. : j .. ■. ■ A special message to the “Dow’uion received on long • distance., tejophonat, 12.20 a.in., stated the busipess sections in Napier, and . Hastingswere 1, veiled to the ground. Hardly' a building. was left standing. - .Tty is, imppssible to , estimate the casualties, .as the number of. pepple ..unaccounted; for its mounting up every hqur. . :. Details •* of;-:the. : casualties are .being collected imjHgiyon. ito. the Secretary of: the general post office. . . Tremors are still ,being felt aud each fresh quake furthersthe-.• disaster.

Despite (the danger of entering■; : an.v building in the business centres, of Napier and Hastings, rescue , wprk is being eontlpued-yvith leverish , aitivst„y . In many of the crumbling buildings, people are still imprisoned. Jn Hastings, 16 assistants are khdwn to be imprisoned in the ruins of a, is hope for theffi, how-eveF-.nViit a late' hour’ iomjght a man was Fexii-acted from brick 'building after having been trapped for nine hours, uninjured. , ~ 7; ■'' •

b Injured people in hundreds are receiving fatteilifion in Napier.

Fires: have, broken out;in many sections oltthe town, adding to tli| r confusion.* Damage j*s estimated /to run into millions. ,•./ v.. k .

Anyone who was at war will know what, it felt, like to >0 in NaT)Rj.,s;tid S. Lewis of Sydney, who arrived . .in .Wellington from Napier last evening. “Two storey buildings ,came, .down like ,a' pack of cards. In one; of, the streets two sides met burying; ,a whole row bf' taxi cars pvith tliei,r drivei'S.” Lewjs gave a “Dominion” '/representative a graphic account of*.,the .disaster. 1 was in my car out^-de,, Napier 'Post Office when the quake;;<-dnie. He said , .all: bf a sudden the far shook violently. I jumped out to sc- what was..wrong, but fell over. .Looking .up f saw all the buildings opposite .collapsing: J then clouds of dust enveloped the whole place. People were rushing unit screaming. ... ~. -

No one knew what wais going to happen next. Ihorsauds rushed to the bemch. They thought that was the safest- place. A f°w minutes after, .the big shake rain started to fall, but only a few drops. It looked as if there w.a,s going to b° a storm. On the collapse- of the bluff. the whole t+own was covered in • dust, and for a while looked as if the place was on fire.

The biggest fire destroyed tlm Masonic Hotel, which was burnt to the

ground

Every two storey brick building came down. Houses on the hill appeared to be all right. The Post Office and Caledonian Hotel saved hundreds of lives. People accumulated there, both building surviving the shock. , A.ll-'Abtr.asphalt roads buckled up.

Dr Moore’s Hospital was . Wrecked. Ml private; houses, and private hotels on' „the waterfront were .damaged.

People were .lying dead, in the streets. ■Women rushed about in an hysterical condition; while' thousands made, for the beach, many entering the water.