THE ITALIAN EARTHQUAKE.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXIV, Issue 9337, 5 January 1909, Page 5

THE ITALIAN EARTHQUAKE.

United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright. Rome, January 4.

Sixteen looters at Messina were shot and 600 were arrested yesterday, some for attacking the survivors, and others who killed an Indian sailor and wounded a Carabineer and a Customs official.

The sea is casting ashore hundreds of corpses, which are terribly mutilated. On the other hand, the corpses among tfte ruins are so numerous that it is impossible to bury them ; therefore they are being covered with lime and buried at

Mr O. Oaiger, a naval architect, and Mr Doresa, a shipowner, both of London, are the only British survivors of the visitors at the Trinacria Hotel, Messina, and they have given a thrilling account of how, in utter darkness, they lowered themselves with an improvised rope. A Swede, his wife and child, who occupied roSms adjoining those of the English survivors on the third ;floor, and which alone were temporarily spared, also escaped. They all took refuge aboard the Afonwen, of Cardiff.

An Italian engineer states that new houses, 30 feet in height, which were erected at Reggio and Ferruzzano after the earthquake of 1905, resisted the shocks successfully. ■ *

King Emanuel and Elena have returned home. They received a great ovation. The Vienna ‘volunteer life saving society has sent to Sicily three camp kitchens capable of feeding 24,000 people daily. FOREIGN RELIEF FUNDS. London, 'January 4. The Mansion House iund now totals £30,000. The Duke .of Connaught donated 100 guineas. The Chronicle hopes that Mr Asquith will, follow the example of the American Congress in voting relief.

Lord Minto is organising a fund. The Italian Parliament meets on the Bth to vote 30 million lire for the immediate succour of the sufferers by the earthquake." Paris, January 4. The French National subscription now totals £25,000. Berlin, January 4.

The German list, which has just been started, amounts to £IO,OOO. Rome, January 4.

The Sultan of Turkey has sent £IOOO, and the Russian Red Cross League £4OOO.

EXPERIENCES OF RESCUERS

Received January 5, 8 a.m. Rome, January 4,

Mr Doresa describes numerous daring rescues effected amid the earthquake and flames by Read, second mate, and Smith, able seaman, of the Afonwen. Captain Owen, of the Afonwen, while distributing food ashore left Mr Doresa in charge of a boat, his only means of retreat. Soon five' soldiers attempted to seize the boat in order to escape to the mainland, but Doresa producing a revolver pub them to flight. Other rescuers bad similar experiences at the outset of the panic. HEALTH PRECAUTIONS. Received January 5, 11.17 a.m. Rome, January 4. Signor Santoliquido, DirectorGeneral of Hygiene in Italy, thinks there is little fear of epidemics. Enormous quantities of disinfectants are being forwarded, including hundreds of tons of quicklime and chloride of lime. THE AUSTRALIAN FUND. Received January 5, 9.40 a.m. Sydney, January 5. The first thousand pounds has been cabled to the Lord Mayor of London for the Italian earthqnake fund. ANOTHER VIOLENT SHOOK. A violent shook was experienced at .Stromholi to-day early, lasting three seconds, accompanied by eruption of the volcano and terrifying subterranean rumblings. Much damage resulted. , MORE FATALITIES. A severe shock was felt in Oaltagarone in Sicily, where there are 30,000 inhabitants, several of whom were killed. Shooks continue at Messina and Melito, where panio prevails. ' NOBLE COMPETITION. All the municipal doctors in Italy and all young doctors in Rome (have volunteered for service in the earthquake zone. The noblest competition is shown everywhere. FAMISHED PEOPLE. No assistance has yet reached the interior of the Oampagna and Sicily, though 34 towns were destroyed. The relief is almost concentrated at Messina and Reggio, where many injured are accommodated iu the prisons. " The famished people eat the raw flesh of donkeys and horses which the troops destroy.

Wellington, January 4,

Mr Ronald T. Robertson, Consular Agent for Italy, has opened a fund here for the relief of the sufferers by the earthquake disaster. The Italian residents of Wellington met to-night to arrange to help their compatriots who have suffered in Italy. The sum of £4l 11s was subscribed in the room, and arrangements were to get up a concert to augment the relief fund. • Auckland, Jnuary 4,

Over £2OO has been received by the Mayor for the Italian disaster relief fund.