THE EARTHQUAKE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 277, 15 April 1913, Page 5

THE EARTHQUAKE.

INQUEST AT MASTERTON. By Telegraph—Press Association. Masterton, Monday. At the inquest, held this morning, on the death of the Maori, Ngawairo, who was killed on Saturday during the earthquake, a verdict of accidental death was ieturned. WOODVILLE SHAKEN. Woodville, Monday. A sharp earthquake was felt here on Saturday at 7.10 p.m., and two more yesterday afternoon at 3.5 and 4.30. HAWERA EARTHQUAKES. iHawcra, Monday. _ A slight earthquake was felt here at ".10 on Saturday evening, and another I more pronounced shock at 3.15 on Sunday afternoon. DAMAGE TO POST OFFICE. Wellington, Last Night. The Post Office advises that the earthquake at .Masterton diimaged the upper portion sf the Post Olfice tower. Only one piece—a» ornamental one—fell, but the balance is a good deal cracked. RECORDED ON SEISMOGRAPH. Christehurch, Last Night. The Masterton earthquakes were recorded on the Christehurch seismograph as follows:—April 12, beginning at 7.12 p.m„ large waves commenced and lasted till 7.13 p.m. The maximum motion was at 7.14 p.m., with a complete boom and an amplitude of 1.(5 millimetres. Further minute tremors occurred from 7.38 p.m. to 7.43 p.m. April 13: Beginning at 3.5 p.m., and lasting till 3.7 p.m. The maximum motion was at 3.0 p.m. with only a slight movement.

MASTERTOX'S STARTLING

EXPERIENCE.

PANIC-STRICKEN PEOPLE RUSH INTO THE STREETS.

The special correspondent of the Wellington Times supplies the following account of the effects of the earthquake:— On Saturday night, at eight minutes past 7 o'clock, Masterton was visited by the most severe earthquake experienced since the shock of August, 1904. There were two distinct shocks, the first being preceded by a long rumble. Out of shops and houses the people poured in hundreds.

In Queen street customers and employees rushed pell mell out of the shops into the roadway. Women and children were screaming, and men stood stock-still, wondering what was going to happen next. Some women had fits of hysteria, and others fainted. The scene in Queen street was indescribable. Inside the shops bottles, crockery and similar articles came tumbling down from the shelves, but the damage does not amount to much.

A number of persons were in the post office at the time of the shock, and among those who rushed out of the building was a Maori named Te Hona \gawhiro eighteen years of age, who had that day come down from Hamua. Agawlnro had got about four feet out into the roadway when a globular ornament about a foot in diameter fell fiom uie post office roof and struck lum on the side of the head, knocking him down and inflicting an ugly wound. He oied in a few minutes. Ngawhiro's mother is lying ill i n Wellington, and Agawhiro went into the post office for the purpose of telephoning to his father m Wellington to enquire how his mother was.

A large number of chimneys were sh.iKen down and other damage of a minor nature done.