’QUAKE DAMAGE

Hokitika Guardian, 21 September 1932, Page 5

’QUAKE DAMAGE

WATROA REPORTS REMARKABLE NUMBER OF SLIPS. (Per Press Association Copyright.) WAIROA, September 20. Only one jolt of a heavy nature was felt at Wairoa to-day. Mr Furkert (chief engineer of Public Works) has arrived. He was busily engaged throughout the d#y in investigating the position, but his opinion, is at present unknown. A press reporter to-day visited the Waiatai Valley, traversing tie hills to Clydebank, and found the country in an appalling state. Miles of fencing have been displaced, one farmer estimating that it would cost him £SOO to replace the fences on his own property alone. The valley, viewed from above gave the impression that numerous. gpfd sluicing claims had been at work, undermining the valley at each side to a great extent. At intervals of every twenty yards, landslides have taken pHace. - ; At the Pakarae Station, no fewer than twenty-two landslides have taken place. One slip is reliably estimated to cover forty acres.

Numerous dead sheep were to be viewed, protruding from the debris. Chains of the boundary line have disappeared in places, leaving a razorlike edge, wliich will present a difficult task to refeuce,

One slip, containing thousands of tons of debris, ceased its mad career onlly' three chains from a homestead ini which a man, hi,s wife and a number of young children were in bed. One farmer, on being interviewed, said he wias of the opinion that two blow-outs had occurred on liis property, each one covering three acres. The soil thrown from the valley was that churned up that it looked as if it had passed through a large mincer. The road in parts has subsided, and is dangerous for traffic. It is remarkable that in one house only a few articles were broken, and yet fifteen feet away a heavy keg of sbpjules was thrown across a small room as if it w; 4 s a cork.

The Clydebank side of the dividing range, when viewed, presented an appalling spectacle. There was ore house off its blocks, spit clean in two. Others were similarly affected. All of them will have to com© down.

The .Scampardown stream was blocked, causing a lake. The water has now broken through, causing a heavy flood in the river. The stream is .now blocked further up, and is liable to break through at any moment, causing a heavy flood, with the loss of further stock.

It will, he impassible for Borne days to investigate all of the country settlements, but the present indications point to the fir.ancM loss being extremely heavy,

Much appreciated cash donations and gifts of crockery are now commencing to arrive, but many thousands of pounds will be required. An urgent meeting of the Farmers’ Union branch is called for Thursday to consider ways and means of assisting those affected by the disastrous visitation.

The local committees are all functioning harmoniously. Rapid progress is being made with the restoration of various works.

The Opouiti river is still completely blocked by slips running from Mangapoiki, through, the hills. At Clydebank, the .sheep-yard gates were wrenched off tilledr hinges and fences flattened, the whole giving an impression that a terrific tornado had carried down through this previously peaceful valley.

St. Andrew’s Presbyterian church is baldly damaged. The brick Sunday school is badly fractured. St. Paul’s Anglican Sunday school is tilted over, and broken away from another section. The church building is badly strained. St. Paul's Catholic church is also strained. The Convent is damaged.

The harbour board sheds are badly damaged, also th© wharves, including the ferro concrete wool-wharf, which is damaged worse than in 1931. • An area, not previously mentioned, that suffered to a great extent, is the local cemetery. It is estimated that a hundred headstones crashed. Ornaments and railings lie everywhere, the area giving the impression of having undergone an artillery bombardment.

RED CROSS DONATIONS. CHRISTCHURCH, Sept. 20. In response to an appeal from its headquarters, the Canterbury branch of the Red. Cross 'Society, to-day decided to make a grant of £SO for the relief of the sufferers from the earthquake. The money will be distributed through the organisation of the .Society. The assistance of the subBranch will he sought by the Canterbury Brandi in raising this sum.

DONATION FROM MASTERTON. SMAISTEP.TON, September 20. On the motion of th© mayor, Mr T. Jordan, the. Master-tow Borough Council decided at its meeting to-night to grant the sum of £IOO to the Borough of Wairoa. for th© relief of the distress caused by the recent earthquake. The money is to he forwarded immediately.