REPORT ON HASTINGS

Hokitika Guardian, 5 February 1931, Page 5

REPORT ON HASTINGS

FURTHER FIRES DO DAMAGE. WELLING TON February a. The Press Association Agent at Hastings has sent the following by aeroplane. ..,e whole of Hastings is in ruins and resembles a war stricken town. There is a heavy toll of life and property, but gallant efforts are being made to preserve the well being ol the alfeeted people. Broad streets are littered with the debris of demolished buildings, mingled with the contents of business houses.

There is a tragic uncertainity <>t Imw many bodies lit' beneath the piled up masses of brick and concrete. Efforts for recovery are being made cease lessly, citizens taking turns at the terrible task.

Ryston hospital is intact and the limited capacity is now crowded to overflowing. In addition (it patients aio being treated in the racecourse pavilion. 30 of whom will lie sent to Wellington by ambulance and tlie remainder to Waipukurau, when trains are available.

There is an adequate medical and nursing stall'. A train arrived this morning at Taka pau with supplies, which are now being distributed under the guidance of a special committee. Food supplies will he a big problem as the business and shopping area is totally wrecked. .11 is reckoned the death roll will be more than, doubled when the remaining bodies are recovered.

During the night a fire swept u block in the centre of the town completely gutting the Union Bank and National Bank which had survived the earthquake. The fire originated in tlie rums of the Grand Hotel and a light breeze carried it to the adjoining buildings.

'flu, town is splendidly organised by ■efficient committees responsible for food, water and patrolling tlie streets to prevent fires and looting. Citizens rallied willingly to assist the committees in every way. All luicn buildings have perished. I hose of rein forced concrete, or wood, except in the centre of the town escaped more lightly, though the damage even then was enormous. A shortage ot water in the morning was a difficulty. The National Bank is now a shell, only the four walls standing. All food supplies and benzine are commandeered and rationed. It i s hoped to get a supply ot waitei. Another quake shook at 8.35 last night and completed the destruction of some buildings. Only a few were injured in houses. There were slight tremors during the night and morning at frequent intervals?

The massive Hawkes Bay Farmers’ building is . intact; without even ft minute crack.

An arcoplaiie service was requisitioned by the Post Office to carry messages. leaving daily at 2 o’clock. Good work was done last night by electricians who had fully lighted the main street, thus making patrolling easier. The gas supply is cut off. Dangerous streets are roped off as many buildings are in a state of collapse. it is suspected that the greatest number of missing are buried under Roach’s, Westermnns and Public Library, and ruins of the Post Office tower. There were 50 persons on the top floor of Roach’s when tnc earthquake occurred, It is unknown how many escaped. Havelock bridge collapsed carrying with it the mains of Hastings water supply. Council pumps are fiilling tanks on trollies for distributing as much water as possible. The Municipal buildings and theatre are still standin cr and the power house is in commission.

The Public Trust office is intact but the “Tribune” buildings opposite were completely wrecked. Chic l ! reporter Ryan is among the missing. All the rest of the staff miraculously escaped, except Bluett, a linotypist, who was bodily injured. The Post Office is a mass of ruins. The .Methodist Church was levelled to the ground. The Anglican Church has very slight damage, as also the Catholic Church. The Prosybterian Church lost the spire. There were many acts of heroism. Tom Gill, auctioneer, was buried in the debris whilst carrying out an unconscious woman. The casualty list would have been appalling if the streets had been narrow, as the walls falling outwards did not reach the centre of the road, leaving it a crowded safety zone. Havelock North. residential area, in which are several mansions in concrete and stone escaped damage, otper than fallen chimneys.

Brick shops in the township suffered the same. At Hastings it is impossible to make an estimate with accuracy ot the total financial loss occasioned by disaster, but in Hastings alone the damage will amount to over a million sterbng. Large numbers of cars were crush-* cd to shapelessness by fallen lnasomwlu some instances the occupants were hi fled. Bakers will start work here to-day. At present there are 5000 loaves available. Two butcher shops opened to-day in makeshift premises. To Ante College bad one wing shaken down and the other destroyed bv tire. The Girls’ College, lona, amt Woodford at Havelock North have been damaged considerably by fallen chimneys. The buildings appear habi-

table. Both need a thorough survey before the scholars reassemble.

Besidents living on the banks of the -igaruroro river report cracks opened up during the shake and many emitted volumes of water, one settler declares the land has risen considerably. The railway bridge at Tomaona was badly out of alignment, heavy steel rails at one end being twisted to resemble pot hooks. G EXER Af. INQUEST. ON U BODIES. WELLINGTON", '.Feb. 5 A special general inquest on the dead was held at Napier at 2 p.m. yesterday, the court, house acting as a morgue. Thirty-four Bodies wore laid out of which twenty-five were identified as follows: -

Frederick AlaeCai.thur, aged 50, married, telegraphist. Louisa Af. Bickorstaff. aged •'l9. Francis M. Boyd of Epsom. Auckland. Bertram i Ogilvie, aged 14, of Hastings. John E. Giinham. Raymond Robertson, aged 14', (son of .Archibald Robertson). Derek Freedman, aged 20. Winnie AI. Skelton, Martha Elridge, Rose J. Leverett, (daughter of Albert Leverett). Alexander AValker, Mrs G. 0. Tripnev and child, (wife of Constable Tripnev). Alary Brandon, aged 20, of AVoodville. Jane Haines. 54. Nurse Eileen AVilliams, aged 19. Elsie Keys, aged 30, Airs L. T. Bisson. M iss Bennett, a technical school hoy named Robertson, ALtrgarefc Patient, married. Afajorie Tnsull, 22 of New Plymouth, Geo. Plank, aged o*, John Davidson, Alfred «T. Bonner, 54, Alary J. Leriihan, aged 64, (wife of Patrick Lenihan). There are two more emergency morgues in which unidentified bodies are lying. Parties are still finding bodies crushed in the shopping streets.