THE SHAKE AT GISBORNE

Hokitika Guardian, 13 May 1931, Page 7

THE SHAKE AT GISBORNE

PECULIAR FEATURES. DAMAGE TO CHIMNEYS. Details published in the “Poverty Bay Herald” show that Jkursday’s shake provided some pec..-.ar incidents. It was apparently more heavily lelt in Gisborne than anywhere else. The characteristics of the early morning quake corresponded with those of a class 7 shock in the Rossi-Forel scale of seismological activity. The scale indicates a strong shock as one that results in the overthrow of moveable objects, fall of plaster, ringing of bells and general alarm, without serious damage to buildings.

Many tradesmen found their premises in a sad state of disorder after the earthquake, and the cost of the damage to plate-glass windows alone will run into a considerable figure. There is a comparative absence of structural damage to buildings, and it is unlikely that any of the premises is it unlikely that any of the premises affected by the shake will have to be given extensive attention, but the losses of fragile stocks in many of the shops will be heavy. A large number of businfess houses found more general damage than was occasioned by the main shock on February 3. Stocks crashed from the shelves and piles of material strewn about the doors of the shops gave evidence of the strong character of the tremor.

Some of the damage to plate-glass show windows was due, nq doubt to the overturning of show fittings and figures, hut some curious freaks were produced by the earthquake. In the case of Messrs Petties, Ltd., seven windows were cracked badly, but two large sheets of plate-glass were merely edged along in their frames the latter i ursting at the corners and allowing the glass to move laterally for a space of about an inch. In neither case was the plate-glass damaged. Similar effects were noted elsewhere to a lesser extent.

A curious feature of the damage to plate-glass was that only certain portions of the town were effected. Only one firm in the lower end of the town lost windows, and there was a section which escaped altogether. Then commenced another series of smashes on the south-western side of Gladstone Road, effecting four businesses. The next block was clear of damage on that side of the road, but across Gladstone Road there was another section of damaged premises.

There were numerous cases reported of chimneys having fallen throughout the suburbs, and full tanks being wrenched about on their pedestals in such a way as to occasion leakages. A superficial survey of the damage in the suburbs was made hv an experienced builder, the result being an estimate that at least 200 chimneys are down in the residential areas of Gisborne). These include a number which had been damnged ill the earlier earthquakes, and had been reconstructed, the owners of property on which repairs had been executed being no more immune from loss than those whose brickwork was not a fleeted previously.

NO NEED FOR. ANXIETY