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New Zealander, Volume 4, Issue 257, 15 November 1848, Page 3

GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, Civil Secretary's Office, Auckland, \sih November, 1848. eIS Excellency the Governor-in- Chief has been pleased to direct the publication of the following despatches, from Lieute-nant-Governor Eyre, relative to the late calamitous visitation at Wellington, for general information. By His Excellency's command, C. A. Dillon, Civil Secretary. Government House, Wellington, \9th October, 1848. Sir, It is my most painful duty to inform your Excellency that a terrible calamity has overtaken this Province: an earthquake has occurred, and the town of Wellington is in ruins. On the morning of Monday, the 16th October, about twenty minutes to two a.m., the fust shock occurred, and was sufficiently strong to throw down or injure most of the chimnies in the town, and to ciack the walls of very many of the biick buildings. Considerable loss of property was sustained by breakages in the houses, and a good deal of alarm excited in the minds of the inhabitants. During the whole of Monday shocks and tremblings of the earth were from time to time experienced, but of a slighter character than the first. On Tuesday, the 1 7th October, about four o'clock, a.m., another rather smart shock was felt, and again at eight, a.m. Lighter ones continued at intervals during the day, until, at twenty minutes to four o'clock in the afternoon, when a sudden and much more violent shock took place — by this chimnies previously lemaining up weie for the most part cast down. The Native Hospital, the Gaol, many of the large brick stores, and the higher brick walls, weie either very much rent or wholly thrown down ; immense destruction of property took place, and, I regret to add, a melaucholy loss of life. Barrack-Serjeant Lovell and two of his children were thrown down and buried by falling ruins. Upon being extricated one of the children was found dead, and the other so seriously mjuied, that it died a few hours afterwards. The Serjeant himself was much hurt, and now lies in a precarious state. 1: Dining the remainder of Tuesday and the succeeding night slight shocks only were felt ; * Since deai.