RAILWAY REPAIRED

Hokitika Guardian, 5 February 1931, Page 5

RAILWAY REPAIRED

AS FAR AS HASTINGS. IN READINESS FOR EVACUATION. WELLINGTON. February 5The railway line lias been temporarily repaired In Hastings and traffic is being worked to that point. Railway stock from all parts ol the North Island is being assembled at all available places along the line in readiness to carry out the work of evacuating Napier. SOU E OF THE BUI I,RINGS. Eire swept an area in the heart of Napier stretches from the AI an lie Parade inland to Clive Square, and extends oil the north to the loot of Shakespeare Road and on the south to Dickens Street.

Scarcely any building in that area survives damage or destruction. All the banks have gone and so have most of the hotels and old and new post offices. The public hospital is partly destroyed.

Several leading private hospitals hud to be evacuated and prisoners had to be liberated from tlie gaol and lock up. Government Buildings at the foot of Tennyson .Street inclfiding the Lands Department and Public Works Deparment are destroyed, lire completing the work of the earthquake. The Public Trust building is still standing and in tlie darkness appeared to have escaped the fire.

Dalgt't.ys building appears to have withstood tlm shock and dodged the conflagration. also the Caledonian hotel, but these are exceptions and it can be said a clean sweep lias been made of tlie finest part of Napier.

The number of two storied, three storied and four storied buildings ruined is too great to be counted Ruin seems to have overtaken till the big businesses in the way of drapery including Blythes, .MU timers, Parkers, the D.S.L. Hannahs, Hallesteins, and Hawkes Bay Farmers.

Re-ides Ihe .Masonic hotel if is repnrfed the Criterion. Central and Provincial arc destroyed.

The earthquake shook the Boer War .Memorial and destroyed the head of the trouper, hut it was recovered and placed on the steps. Napier .Municipal Theatre is ruined, also the two picture theatres and newspaper offices. All tlie 'lawyers offices save one, tire gone.

A REFUGEE'S STORY

WELLINGTON, February 4. Among the refugees here is a party who were in camp at Havelock North, which they say lias been badly knocked about. We were walking on the beach and the isand came up to meet us. said the mother of two children. We s'Uv big cliffs slipping down, and cracks opened in the beach. They camped on the hills at night, fearing a tidal wave, SYMPATHY MESSAGES. WELLINGTON, February 4. The following additional telegrams have been received by the Governor General : From the Governor of Victoria “On behalf of the Government and people in Victoria I ask vour Excellency to accept deepest sympathy in the disaster which has overtaken your people.” From the Governor General of the Union of South Africa“ Desire to express my very deep regret at the news of the disastrous earthquake and my sincere sympathy with all sufferers.” From Duke of York“ The Duchess of York and T have heard willi great distress of the terrible earthquake. Please convey deepest sympathy to all those who have suffered in the disaster, Albert.”

AYIRBLESS TELEPHONE. REQUEST FOR NEWS OF EARTHQUAKE. (Received this day at ]1 a.m.) LONDON. February 4. Requests for the use of the wireless telephone to New Zealand poured into the Pest Office, Imt. the circuit was not considered good enough for communication. Officials carrying out test experiments daily, conversed 20 minutes with Wellington to-day and were told the estimated death roll is three hundred and the whole of the Dominion is mourning. greenmeadows SEMINARY.

WELLINGTON, February 5. The Provincial of the Alanst Order advised that the Greenmeadows Seminary is in ruins and unhabitable. The surviving students have been transferred to Highden just out of Palmerston North. It is estimated the damage to the seminary will amount to -toOOO. The Provincial acknowledges receipt of a £IOOO from Airs AlcCarthy Reid. According to soundings taken by the Northumberland, the sea bed four miles off Napier is at its normal depth fourteen fathoms. The Northumberland arrives heie this morning.