"EARTHQUAKE-ITIS"

Hokitika Guardian, 4 March 1931, Page 5

"EARTHQUAKE-ITIS"

AUCKLANDER’S EXPERIENCE. EARLY MORNING SHAKE. “BEST SINCE THE BIG ’QUAKE.” (Napier Daily Telegraph). Tn the face of such disaster and loss, not only of property but of human life, it is refreshing to find many who have been called upon to bear a share of the suffering still holding grimly to an irrepressible sense of humour. There arrived in Napier a few days ago an Auckland business man wno, though he had not experienced an earthquake shock of any severity, had views on the subject of earth tremors which were possibly far more advanced than those of the average Napier citizen.

He was by no means loth to express his opinions, not only about earthquakes, but on practically every subject imaginable, and to such an extent that the citizens whose guest lie was quickly c-ame to regard him as an authority of unusually wide knowledge. It was decided among the eight males who constituted the household that it was high time the visitor felt ail earth, quake. Late one evening the household retired to bed on a spacious verandah, and it was otily a few minutes before complete quiet reigned. Early morning—2 a. ill., to be exact —brought a rattle from one of the windows opening from a room in the house on to the verandah. Attached to the window was a cord, the other end of which was held by one of the ‘sleepers.” The rattle was but the signal for the commencement of the “earthquake” which was to follow immediately.

Other windows along the verandah rattled violently. A rope attached to the end of the guest’s bed was tugged furiously until his bed was performing like a Western rodeo broncho. A large block of wood on a shelf above the verandah fell six or eight feet with a loud clatter, and a tin of biscuits. which had become stale since the memorable February 3, toppled from another ledge right on to the victim’s bed.

The ring-leader. of the party leaped from his bed shouting: “It’s the end of the world; it’s the end of the world.” . >

So minutely had the “quake” been arranged and so effectively had it been carried out that the ring-leader afterwards admitted that he had found it difficult to re-assure himself that the earth was not actually moving. With, in a few seconds of the tin falling on to his bed. the visitor had taken up his quarters in the middle of a wide lawn, to which he later moved hjj blankets, spending the remaining tew hours before daylight there. Me Was told that “this was the best since the big ’quake.” The effects told on his nerves in such an extent that he was not slow j'u suggesting liquor refreshments of more than moderate proportions. While these were being enjoyed, the paraphernalia which had been used with such unexpected success was quietly moved and put out of sight. Not content with what they had achieved, the members of the party were early astir acquainting friends and business associates with the events of the night, and whenever he encountered the query, “Did you feel that one at two o’clock this morning?” the victim promptly started a picturesque description of his personal experience. As he left for the north, the Aucklander confidentially informed his hosts that lie, at any rate, was glad to have felt the ’quake, as previously he had had no idea of what one was like. When he got back to Auckland, he added, he would be able to tell his friends all about it.