HAWKE'S BAY QUAKE

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 138, 3 February 1932, Page 3

HAWKE'S BAY QUAKE

(Press Assn.-

striking evidence of brave facing of great difficulties progress toward recovery

— By Telegraph — Copyright).

NAPIER, Tuesday. To-morrow is the anniversary of the disastrous earthquake which wrought such havoc in Hawke's Bay, chiefly in the towns of Napier and Hastings, and a review of the situation as it now presents itself shows what remarkable strides have been made in the way of re-construction. In Napier, where the damage hy the fire was so very extensive, the work has been fraught with many trials, and at first sight, it would appear that re-building has been done only on a small seale, but when a thorough inspection of the town is made it can be seen that the work has progressed steadily, and much has been done in the erection of permanent buildings. One of the difficulties Napier had to overcome was the disruption of public services, such as water, sewerage and gas, but this was gradually overcome, and from now on the work of re-construction will proceed more rapidly. Hastings was more fortunate than Napier in that all public services could be ' completely restored within a few days, and the damage hy fire was not hy any means so extensive. The new buildings which have been erected are a wonderful improvement on the pre-'quake structures, being more modern in design. The results of the year's work in Hastings are splendid and there is not a great deal of evidence of the disaster now, with the exception of temporary premises. The two towns have had many difficulties to face and not the least of these has been the economic situation which has been far from bright, but the work of restoration has been faced courageously, and the achieve-. ments up to the present deserve the fullest praise. L.frU,