NAPIER’S GRATITUDE

Hokitika Guardian, 9 February 1931, Page 6

NAPIER’S GRATITUDE

EXPRESSED BY THE MAYOR. GRATEFUL COMMUNITY. NAPIER, February 7. Thro Mayor of Napier (Mr J. Vigor Brown) desires to make the following statement to the peope. of New Zealand regarding the earthquake at Napier:— The calamity,; he states, came with terrifying suddenness, and it has to be realised that the whole of the devastation was wrought in a matter of seconds. The work of succouring the injured and those trapped in falling buildings, commenced immediately and many people risked their lives in rendering aid. The whole of the first day was occupied in tlie removal of the injured from the debris, and the impr'ovision of Hospitals, and in giving the necessary attention to the injured. Disaster had followed disaster. Fire broke out almost immediately after the earthquake, and a largo proportion of the available workers was diverted to an attempt to combat the outbreaks. In spite of tins, all the injured were accommodated in

some way during the day, and a commencement was made with arrangements for the distribution of foodstuffs. Food and hot drinks were available. Within five hours, transport to deal with water supplies and urgent matters in, connection with sanitation, and most important of all, medical and nursing help for the injured, was promptly arranged. Committees were formed and depots fixfed at the Police Station and elsewhere, by the evening of the earthquake. Arrangements were made for food to be supplied to the various depot** it is impossible sufficiently to emphasise the wonderful manner in which the Commander, officers and men of the Veronica assisted in these activities. But for them our troubles would have been immeasurely greater. They went to work immediately and helped to instil confidence into the populace. Later their efforts were supplemented by the arrival of the warships Dunedin and Diomede, and the Navy continues to render assistance to Napier in her hour of need.

The doctors and nurses and all those associated with them, did wonderful work under conditions that were exceedingly difficult. It is impossible to express in this statement the gratitude due to all who aided the work of succour. Casualties were treated in the most humane and careful way. ■ The Government has done magnificent work. Ministers of the Crown and the Departmental officers were quickly on the scene, and soon made available

in conjunction with other organisations, thousands of pairs of blankets, tents, bread, meat etc. Tile Government is at our back in giving help. They have taken up the position that the disaster is a national one, and are treating it

as such. At the time of the upeaval, the tramp steamers Taranaki, apid Northumberland were in the Bay, and sent men | and supplies ashore when they were J sorely needed. The police, as always, were right in amongst the troubles and did their difficult work very tactfully. One has to'.remember that-at times like this, 'hundreds are hysterical and great tact had to be displayed in the direction of matters by those in authority. • A great many people have sent messages asking for information about relatives and friends. Tt lias been ini- J possible to get information in a large I number of cases, as the people enquired for have left their homes and their . whereabouts are not known. Casualty cases were removed to various hospitals in the outlying districts, and it ] was impossible at first to get any in- j formation at all. Everyone was engaged in essential work, and what might appear ais ia possible neglect, could not he avoided.

Every endeavour is being made to restore tilings to normal, many working night and day. The Post and Telegraph Department has done wonders, workers working night and day forwarding all communications as quickly as possible. I must assure people who hare not received replies to telegrams that the Telegraph authorities have done all that is possible for human be- j ings tosdo. Some people outside the | district have formed their own ideas of wliat is being done and what sh°uld be done, but we who are here know all about it, and I can assure the public that while masonry etc. was still falling, attention was being given these details at great personal risk to those . carrying out the work. I also wish to state that Napier is not wiped out. We are at present rebuilding a Tobacco factory at P or t Ahuriri. Portion of it had to he pulled down, and this morning they were removing the debris, and starting immediately to rebuild the factory, which employs from two to three hundred hands. Many other businesses have

already made financial arrangements to rebuild Iheir premises as soon as the debris, which is considerable, is removed, and buildings will be gone on with. Napier will soon be rebuilt. It will be appreciated that in this short statement i am unable to express adequate thanks to the many organisations and to the hundreds of people who have assisted our people here and in other centres. May I convey to them the gratitude of Napier and its citizens for all they have done, and are doing, for us.

TEM POP AR Y IHISINESS PR KM INKS NAPIER, February 8. The weather to-day is dull, with rain threatening, and with a westerly wind. Several firms are endeavouring to commence operations in temporary premises, and, with a continuance of the present progress, extensive works should be in progress. If is still desirable to keep out sightseers, and the restrictions are hkelv to be maintained for some time. Most of the visiting newspaper men are now departing. FOWLS USED FOR FOOD. Owing to the. supplies running short in certain country areas, the police arc introducing special messagers to cope with the position. Plenty or food is still available, and abandoned fowls have been used generously to supply hungry people. There are hundreds of canaries flying about the suburbs, but the pigeons have disappeared, and other birds are rarely seen. So successful has organisation become that water is now being pumped on to parts of the hills and parts of the flats. An inspection is proceeding in other localities.

The sewer system will receive consideration as soon as possible. Men respond splendidly to the call for labour, and most of the able-bodied men now have something to tiling of besides their misfortune. The workers are being paid 8s per day and found. It is still necessary for outside friends to exercise patience as to the welfare of their friends, as thousands of telegrams have not been delivered, and in many eases the outward telegrams have failed to reach their destinations. The inquirers can rest assured that full details of the fatalities will hr; published as soon as possible, but the police are exercising almost ex-

cessiv-e cure in issuing information ns 1 to the deaths. Lists arc sent out whenever available. Over 11,000 have now evacuated Napier. Very lew women and children remain in the area. j Yeomen work is still being done liv the local people, aiid by the visiting I volunteers. i The water services are being restored in a - further area, and the water is being chemically treated at the pump- ! ing station. There is no confirmation of the rum- | ours concerning disease, and the relief work is proceeding with wonderful precision. The patrol system is quite capable of coping with any position. • All work is to-day proceeding at flic j demo!ition. | Mie Post Office is now open coiitinu- , uousl.y. ! < Iho Governor-General arrived by a train which also carried water. The weather to-day is dull, but improving. The warships Dunedin and Diomede have anchored closer in, and they now occupy the usual Admiralty anchorage, r WORK AT NAPIER. NAPLEit, February 8. TJio military have taken over the police duties to assist the volunteer patrols, but the civil law .still operates, and will continue.

The behavior of the people lias been beyond reproach. Civilians are assisting itlie Navy men in the demolition.

The supply of food is excellent, this service being adequately maintained by women and men.

The weather has again turned cold but it is still fine.

ft is understood that the question of rebuilding l the town will form the subject of discussion under the idea of town planning. Consequently nothing of a permanent nature will be permitted for twelve months. In the meantime several firms have announced that temporary premises are to be erected.

The “Daily Telegraph’s” temporary building is to be erected next to the Catholic Church immediately. Its new plant is expected to arrive on Monday.

ONLY ONE BAKERY

NAPIER. Febuary S. Murdoch's Bakery, the only such building in use in the devastated area, has been taken over by the authorities, but electric power is being installed, and the firm operate--; three drifts at

bread-making as from Monday. This is the only bakery in commission in the town. The postal facilities at the railway have het’ii improved, some telephones being also in use. The Money Order and letter departments are in the old il.B. F armors’ buildings in Station Street.

Although some of the dead had no chance, .being trapped under the tons of falling masonry, others were killed because they were too quick in rushing Imm the buildings. As they emerged from doorways they were struck ny lulling cornices. Others who were slower emerged safely. The oilier people eseaped death because they Mood under arches or in doorways, "hieli in seme eases sustained terrilLc loads oI debris without collapsing.

The future- of many houses still standing provides another problem. It appears certain tlmt, in their wish to live in the hills instead of the flats people have been building houses fur too close to the cliffs, both on top and below. In every hill .suburb are to be seen homes that appear likely to slip flown on to other homes at any moment. I liese must he demolished, hut will new homes be built in the same dangerous position?

Government and private organisations must be depended upon to grant credits to the stricken town, and the all important question is how much the Goviernmen t, already financially embarrassed, can and will do for Napier. Iho fire could not.be stopped because them was no water to fight it. This problem concerns every town in New Zealand, because even a slight earthquake' might disc locate water services If seems certain that Until a reassuring answer is given by bodies of qualified men to those and many other questions of a technical nature that arc being asked many citizens of Napier will not feel that confidence which is so necessary.

How many businesses need help and how many will he helped? In what order will they lie helped, and will the terms be sufficiently generous to induce men to ‘‘start from scratch” once more ? What organisation will ,u < opt oi edits. I lien there are grave eonsirucLural questions to he considered.

AI ter this calamity, not only Napier, hut all other towns must surely reconsider and revalue their building regulations. II this assertion he doubted by anyone, let him inspect the fallen buildings before they are broken up. Indeed, there is ample justification lor the appointment hv engineers, architects and builders of an expert committee to examine life fallen buildings, and also those which still stand, and make recommendations to the Govern men t which should embody the main legislation. If. may be another town’s turn ,next. ; In' Napier itself, re-building'' ea nnof he started without consideration being given to tin. 1 stability of the land itself, especially in reclaimed areas. Examination may reveal that some ouiblings crashed, not because they arc not earthquake proof, but because their foundations subsided. Some of ■the buildings will probably have to be demolished. They would he unsafe if simply patched up. Much valuable material could lie gained by an examination ol the experiences of the survivors.' , .

A continuous' telegraph attendance is being observed until further notice at the. lollLwing offices:- Auckland. Wellington. Napier, Hastings, Wairon, and Gisborne.

II AST I NCR REVIVES. , ALAR.MIST REPORTS. I HAS LING’S,. February 8. . At least so lar as Hastings is concerned, one ol the greatest difficulties with which the authorities in charge have to contend is the irresponsible cii(.illation ol mosl disturbing rumours. I there is nothing in the situation here to justify an altitude of mind such as J leads to the creation and spreading ol I a/tsurh, alarming stories. One absurd story was that the whole population hail to be in Damicviike within twenty-lour hours. Another was that everyone had to he in Trentham by .Saturday. These are typical examples ol stories Ilia | are upselling the women in particular. Other rumours in circulation mainI tained that typhoid had broken out. I here is no tear, however, of typhoid in Hastings nor in Napier. The Hastings Borough water supple is in normal working order, wherever a connection exists, and if any precaution is necessary, it has been not. only explained, but appreciated. . T lie sewers are working perfectly, and the maintenance of public health is in expert hands. T lie people have - nothing to lear whatever. Humour might ordinarily be found in siicb rumours. This is a bad time for it. however. Without for a moment understating the degrees of mental shock suffered by the ghastly collapse of the business part of the town, it may be said that I the whole of the townspeople. with j absolutely the single exception of the people previously in a bad nervous state, are not only calm, but are determined that, in spirit, if not in fact, there shall he business as usual.

Nobody who is moving among the residents here to-day will see one sign of jumpiuess. haggard ness or dejection. Even the bereaved are hiding > their grief under a placid countenance and are carrying on in a universal effort to put the town ami its social life mm order om-.o more. -

The strain during the first three days was almost insupportable to many, am! to all it was at least a great trial. A sort of subdued excitement kept the

people going. Sleep was not only iin po- ibk-. but u was unwise-, for then

1 was uncertainty. Moreover nobody wanted more of a meal than a cup of hot tea and a snack, which one’s mind would not allow to be eaten sitting down. They had to be done quickly, and somehow, they were done. To-day everyone lias had at least j sufficient sleep, and meals are being ! taken in a more normal way; and here j and there one hears a resident genially [boasting that he has had a bath and ; has sat down to a hot meal. Shaving, once a. sign of .shame insofar as it proved a dediction of duty, is now liecoming de ringuer. Once more eyes hire looking clear. The signs of nervous strain have entirely disappeared. We have now adopted the task ahead of us as the normal day’s work from nine to live, or from midnight to six, or whatever hours we have had ordained for :us by the authorities. These are the hours during which we have to do our little share towards setting tilings ! right.

Looking back upon the happenings of that dreadful day when the property and occupants of every man and woman in business were wiped out in a few short moments, one remembers

that there was not a sign of panic or hysteria anywhere. Tuesday and its emotions, seen from a distance, which gives a truer view, and quietly considered after a refreshing sleep and hot meals have completely restored one’s mental equilhrium, will forever be remembered with pride by those that witnessed the .conduct nl the people, and particularly that of tlm bereaved and the injured; and in the way in which the whole own is now carrying on is no less a matter for pride. Hon. Mr Stallortliy, speaking to the Press Association this morning, used terms of the highest praise of the way in' which the .people had borne their trial, and of how they lin'd, without a moment’s stay of grief or-.des-

pair set about undoing as much as they could of the harm that had been done.

STRATFORD DONATION. STRATFORD, Feb. 8. The Borough Council last night made a presentation of £o() to the earthquake relief 'funds. The Mayor said further contributions could lie made later, if necessary. satisfactory report. GISBORNE, Feh. 8. The Public Works engineer at Wairun reports litte damage to the ralway lino between there and Napier, the bridges and viaducts being intact. Reports of damage to tunnels are due to falls of earth at the entrance which may not be serious. The ‘■‘Herald’s” relief fund is £2047.

DISEASE KEPT' AWAY

NAPIER. February f>

Seen at noon to-day. Doctor MoGibhon, of the Health Department, stated that there had been no ease of typhoid reported. He asserted that all stops wore being taken to prevent the start of disease.

WELLINGTON, February 7

_ Road ('omtminieation with Fisk Val- , ley, a farming settlement a few miles ~ north of Napier, was established today by a roundabout road. It is certain that every bouse in the valley was damaged, all chimneys being ~ j brought down. The settlers also suf- , j fered through the loss of crockery and I furniture, which were broken when I bricks -from the chimneys descended through Hie roofs of the houses. At Fskdale, the centra! township of the valley, a bo.v named Ray Brown, seven years of age .was killed when flu* school partially collapsed. Three other boys were badly injured. The home of Air F. C. Clark was demolished. IIF FT GEES ARRIVE. j A total of 2ld refugees and forlyihree col. eases arrived in Wellington yesterday by rail and sea. The Run-! peliu disembarked about 100. The first division of the Napier express arrived at, 8.:i() p ut. The Lyttelton ferry was delayed to allow south-bound passim- j geis to connect. The seend division i arrived at. II p.m. There were thirty cot eases aboard. A special hospital train arrived a; | l.ol) this morning with thirty col eases | and sixty-three refugees. ; I A SCiEMTIST’S REPORT. 1 THE ORIGIN EXPLAINED. j FUTURE SECURITY. > I (Received this day at 9.40 a.in.) SYDNEY, February 9. Father O’Lear.v, Director of the Rivorvicw Observatory at. Sydney, an eminent seismologist, declares it was known there would be an earthquake j in tin' Napier region. What seismologists did not know was whether it J would come this year or a thousand . years hence. These events were the earth’s growing pains. Flo went, on to relate the origin of earthquakes, and I said if there were no New Zealand, J then the East Coast of Australia would i he in tln> earthquake zone, for the i deepening .of the Pacific Ocean would ! i be delivering upward thrusts at our 1 coast. Thus New Zealand acted as a j buffer for which Australians should be i thankful 1 . Naprer, he added, need i fear no upheavals of any magnitude for a hundred years or more. The ro- j n cent convulsion was so great that ob- a viously there must he long subterrean l> preparation and long pressure on the j pitch crust, before another big move- [ a ment could occur. "But let Napier j o rebuild wiselv.” he concluded. d