THE EARTHQUAKE

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 91, 7 October 1911, Page 5

THE EARTHQUAKE

THE SEVERE SHOCK AT HASTINGS. By Telegraph— Press Association. , r , , , Hastings, Friday. The shook at Hasting last night was most severe, and was generally considered worse than the one on August 7, im. Ihe motion was vertical more than undulating. This probably aeeount* tor fewer reports of broken crockery than usual, although the damage in this respect has been considerable" Several plaie-gJass windows were broken, and a concrete parapet in Land and ' HeHivvay's building dislodged. In one place twelve feet gave way, and in another ten teet. Both fell inwards on the roof below, smashing the roofing iron and stow timber .beams. The Post Office tower swayed like a sapling in a, gale, and appeared to wrench itself away from the main building. The foundations, however, were undisturbed. Mr. Bayland, district overseer for the Public Works Department, examined the building, and reports: "The shake opened up nil the old settlements. The main cornices of the building are separated about 3%. from the tower, as are also the inside partitions on the first floor and the cement facings. The first floor window*, on each side of the tower are affected but the whole damage is not great." ' The damage elsewhere reported is mostly confined to chimneys, either shaken down or. l>adly cracked. There is no doubt about an earthquake's power to create panic. Men and women lost their heads, and people in the streets started running aimlessly in all directions. • Had the picture theatres been open it is difficult to say what casualties would have resulted from the effects of the panic.

The shock brought down heavy slips on the sea cliffs between Clifton and Kidnappers, creating a deafening roar, and sending dense clouds of dust over the sea.