THE EARTHQUAKE

Patea Mail, 28 June 1881, Page 3

THE EARTHQUAKE

Reports of the earthquake on Sunday morning show that it was somewhat severe at Wanganui and Palmerston, cracking chimneys and doing other slight damage. Tlic reports seem exaggerated. The shock in Patea.was felt about 5.20 a.m., and was a continuous tremor, shaking sleepers into wakefulness and rattling crockery. Not the least damage is traceable. This shock was rather stronger than that felt about a year ago. Tremors of the earth on this Coast were formerly more frequent and much more severe. Old settlers will remember a heavy shock about 1844, one more severe’.in ’4B, and one in ’54 that did considerable damage. The last severe shock was in ’6B, when many chimneys at New Plymouth were shaken down. ;

At Wanganui,-'the shock was felt at 5.23 n.m. The first shock was the heaviest; persons were thrown out of bed, and in many houses movable articles were overturned. In the hotels and chemists’ shops'a number of bottles were shaken off the shelves, and in this way some damage was done. Some twenty chimneys in various parts of the town fell, and as many more are so badly shaken that they will have to be taken down. The turntable of the bridge shifted slightly up stream, but was got right again without much trouble during the day. A brick house built by Mr B. Peymnn some time back, which was thought unsafe, withstood the shock without the slightest damage being done. A number of slight shocks were also felt during and after church time on Sunday evening. In Wanganui, £25 worth of damage was done at Thaine and Company’s shop, maible chimney pieces being broken and lamps smashed. The gas-works tall chimney was cracked ; and at the Theatre some ground sank at the back; Various ornaments in houses were smashed. The water pipes in town were displaced, and the supply is stopped. Reports from Wellington state that the shock was felt at 5.22 o’clock. The direction was from east to west, and the vibration continued for some time, a smaller shock being experienced about 6.30 a.in.The shock created the greatest excitement in town, and all the brick buildings in the city have been examined, but no perceptible damage to any has occurred. In Wellington one or two chimneys were thrown down. The Government offices also suffered, large pieces of plaster having fallen, and in one office the mantelpiece was carried away. The ceilings of the new police station were also cracked, and in the upper story several large pieces of p Ulster fell. It is known that in several of the mercantile stores damage has Occurred, but, as all the principal places of business are closed to-day, it is not yet known to what extent injury has been done. At Palmerston the heaviest shock was felt at 5,25, being followed by five or six slight shocks. A considerable amount of damage w'as done. Nine chimneys out of every ten have been carried away, and a number of windows have been broken. Great excitement prevails in the town, and large parties are visiting the ruins. The Maoris also are greatly excited. At Foxton some reclaimed land sank two feet in parts. The goods shed sank nine inches, and the railway lino is twisted. From New Plymouth it is’reported a smart shock of earthquake, lasting about half a minute, was felt at 5.16 o’clock.