SHAKES CONTINUE

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 331, 19 September 1932, Page 5

SHAKES CONTINUE

(Press. Assn.—

MAYOR IIARKER ASKS FOR IMMEDIATE ASSISTANCE PREMIER CRITICISED

-By Telegraph — pyrlght).

Wairoa, Sunday. Tremors still continue. The most severe since yesterday was one at ' 0 o'cloek this afternoon. It had a very j heavy upward jolt, causing buimings • to rattle and bells to ring, but no fm*- f ther damage has been reported. Two ! l'airly serious shalces occurred this morning at 7 o'cloek and 11 o'cloclc. , Quite a long roll developed and gradually diminished. There were minor tremors. The ground gave the feeling of being on the move the whole tirne. • Reliable infonnation from Waiatia ; reports a shake of immense force. Practically every homestead hhs structural damage. It is feared that there will be heavy stock losses owing to slips, the animals having no chances of escaping hefore the hill- , sides fell. ! To-day was bitterly cold with a strong southerly xvind and intermittcnt j'ain, making the position unenviable. for those witliotjt chimneys and broken buildings. Fires cannot be lighied on account of the lack of water supply. An outbreak of fix-e with the present strong w'ind would have disastrous results to the

whole community. j Every precaution is b'ung made to 1'revent an outbreak. Arrangements lxave been made for a supply of pumps to be sent l'rom Auckland for the use of the local brigade if required. This morning the Borough Council and the Ilospital Board had a lengthy | meeting. The Mayor, Mr. Ilarker, states the work of restoration in proceeding satisfactorily, hut there is no prospect of the borough paying the : Public Works Department for restoring the water. [ Mr. Harker telephoned the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. G. W. Forlps, J placing the position hefore him, aslc- j ing for an appeal for fmancial assistance to be made. Mr., Forbes replietl that the position would be considered when a dctaikxl report of the losses had been submitted. Mr. Ilarker said that he informed the Prime Min- j ister that if a national appeal is not i made hefore to-morrow night, he, the Mayor, will do so through the | newspapers. The request for a re- j port he considered frivolous, as it will take weeks to estimate the damage. This would he impossible until j every building, private dwelling, road j and bridge had been inspected by an j expert. Proceeding Mr. Harker stated that t he had offers of help from all quar- j ters. The food supply is plentiful, but ( help is wanted in pounds, sliilling and | pence. I From the outside the buildings did i not look -seriously daniaged, hxit in- I side everytlxing was strained and it | vvill eost infinitely more for repairs !;han after the 'qualce of 1931. The main street has subsided a number of inches toward the river. Continuing he stated that the people were absolutely dissatisfied with : he xvork of the Reliabilitation Committee of 1931,- and lxoped that a bet.er system of controlling the funds would be introduced. Mr. Ilarker's remarks were endorsed by the whole meeting, espeeially with i'v'ferenee to the national appeal. Mr. Brewster, ehairman of the Ilospital Board, estimated the damage sustained by the hospital reached more than £2000. It is admitted that there is no hope of s'ecuring one penny from rates this year. Mr. D. W. Coleman, M.P., and Mr. W. E. Barnard, M.P., were present, and expressed sympathy with the town and also pa-omised every assistanee in whatever manner possible, and assxiring the meeting of their eonffdence that the whole of the Labour Party and a large number of members of Parliament woxild support an appeal for fmancial assistance. The fact that the Govemment holds Lhousands of jjounds worth of mortgages over property restoved after the 'qxxake of 1931, and now these mortgages are valueless adds further to the distriet difflcxxlties, when it is considered that apart from the conrtruction of the bridge in excess of £50,000 and probably closer to £100,000 is required to reeondition the Borough and county.