GISBORNE DAMAGE

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 330, 17 September 1932, Page 5

GISBORNE DAMAGE

MANY CHIMNEYS DOWN Gisborne, Friday. The initial quake was more severe than that experienced at the time of the Napier 'earthquake. Shop fronts suffered considerably and pavements were strewn with glass, whilst window displays were thrown into confusion. Many chimneys are down. The structural damage is confined to a few buildings, including Holy Trinity Church, where a brick gable was thrown clean over the porchway on to a grass plot in front of the church. Collette's Motors suffered h'eavily. The whole west wall for a distance of 50 feet fell outward, and the back portion of the premises collapsed, the roof falling on to a number of cars. The parapet and side wall of Vin-

cent's paint shop fell, crashing through to the floor of Robinson's tobacconist shop1. The wall of Wildish's Auction Mart also fell outward. The front fell out of Bell's fruit shop at Mangapapa. Heavy damage was sustained in jewellery and glassware shops, and tradespeople generally are busy this morning straightening out the mess. Mr. John Ormond, a well-known citizen, when rushing out of Ormond's motor shop when the second sharp shake carae, fell and sustained slight concussion. At the hospital, in Rpvpral wards Sn "which ftlaster

was falling, the patients and staff preserved ladmirable presence of mind. At St. Helens Home a chimney crashed through the roof, but nobody was injured. Many business people came into town soon after the first shake to survey the damage and look after their stock. The headlights of cars were, for the time being, the only available lights. The electric power service was suhsequently restored. Sh'ort-circuiting occurred at the sub-station of the power station at Te Karaka, doing damage. A fire at Te Karaka which started prior to the earthquake destroyed a large building, form'erly a boardinghouse, owned by Mrs. Malone and an adjoining shop. At the Hospital The structural damage at the hospital is not extensive, being confined : to the women's ward, where some bricks were displaced. The patients from this ward were accommodated on the verandahs, others xeturning to their beds. I Miss Negro's unoccupied shop at

Mangapapa was badly damaged. The post office tower suffered damage. and prpbably will have to come down. Two heavy iron weights on the Roebusk Road Bridge came off, one crashing through the footway. Telegraphic. communication with the south is cut off. Post Office Shaken Only two men were on duty in the. telephone exchange when the earthquake occurred, and the telegraph cable operator was taking a message when the line was lost. All stuck to their posts, and within a quarter of an hour a dozen clerks had reported for duty, whilst to-day even those on holiday leave returned to their posts. The post office buildings received a severe shaking, cracks appearing in several places, and the clock tower is badly damaged. No estimate of the damage at Collett's premises can yet be given. The roof rests heavily on a number of cars. Country Areas Tiniroto reports that the early morning shakes were as heavy as those of last year, and mild tramors continued throughout the day. Widespread damage has been caused, practically every chimney falling and furniture being thrown about in the wildest confusion. There were numerous slips on the hillsides surrounding the township. The residents, as on the last occasion assembled on the hotel verandah and there spent the remainder of the night. Reports from the country state the quake was mild at Tokomaru Bay, but severe at Te Araroa, Hick's Bay, Te Karaka and Nuhaka, most places suffering chimney and crockery losses.