The Earthquake.

Manawatu Herald, 14 February 1893, Page 2

The Earthquake.

In Wellington very little damage was done by the earthquake on Sunday morning. Several chimneys have been knocked down. The fagade'of the Free Library on its eastern side near the Board of Education building exhibits some cracks at the junction of the white Oamaru stone _^svith the brickwoL'k, and ; smallJrfeces of the cornices were knocked off into the street (says the Times.) Inside the building the plastering of several of the ceilings is said to dispfoy sli/ht cracks here and there,

but this information neadß verifwa- "* tion. At any rate the damage externally appears to be but very slight: A former* cracic nGar the top of the Destructor chimney is reported toj have been extended downward for \ some distance. In the Willis-street frontage of Jamieson Bros and Go's grocery shop the plateglass window was smashed, and evidently some vessels inside containing treacle and jam came to grief, as the liquid came oozing through on to the footpath, and imparted quite a sanguinary aspect to the shutters. In another grocery shop in . Upper Willis-street . some 901 bof tea done up in small . packets was shaken off the shelves, and in Messrs Gurney Bros (baslretmakers) next door several vases were thrown off the mantlepiece, while at the Albert Hotel a number of bottles were shaken down. At Asher's establishment in Manners- street we hear of damage to the stock of crockery, and at Campbell's grocery in the same street ornaments were thrown down a net -broken, and a clock stopped. There are numerous cases of the same kind, but, of course, the full extent of the damage will not be known until the tradesmen's shops and various places of business are opened. At any rate no damage of any consequence was reported, and no injury to life or limb. Mr W. Gray (Secretary of the Postal Department) inspected the Post Office on Sunday, and wag reassured to find everything intact. Some old cracks had broken out, and one or two new ones have appeared.

At Nelson the shock appears to have been move severe. Many chimneys have suffered, and in a number ,of*mmsefi were thrown down and destroyed. At the Government Buildings only one stack of chimneys entirely escaped. The top of one was slewed round, and in others the brick work is shattered, cracked, or broken away. At the College Hill, bricks from a chimney, fell on to the beds which were occupied shortly before at the college. The hospital, gaol, asylum, and Bishopdnly chimneys are damaged, and in front of the pediment of tha Bank of New Zealand, the stone wallis cracked. The spire of the Cathedral appears to be out of plumb, and in* many shops the plate glass windows were broken or cracked. The interior of the Nelson Club shows, evidence of the movements of the stone building, and the next building is rather badly damaged. In some stores a' good deal of damage was done, but being .Sunday it is impossible to estimate the value. The Mayor's house •• suffered a good deal. It is thought the loss will exceed £4000. No one was hurt. ™

A prolonged shock of earthquake was felt at Westpprt, antl two smart shocks at Hokitikst.

A very sharp double shock of earthquake was felt at Ashburton, Greymouth and Palmerston North.

The most severe shock of earthquake for many years was experienced at Blenheim, and caused considerable alarm. Two distinct shocks were fel but so close together as to be almost continuous. The direction was south to north. Many chimneys were injured and will have to be rebuilt. -;F. Litchfield's nnd W. Carr's stocks of glass- \ya re and brio-a-brac wjere considerably tin ma god. A sharp shock was also felt at New Plymouth, and also at Reef ton.