BIG QUAKE.

Taranaki Daily News, 27 December 1922, Page 5

BIG QUAKE.

SHOCK IM CANTERBURY. much damage done. PEOPLE STARTLED. terrifying thrills. By Telegraph.—Frew Association. Christchurch, Dec 25. A very prolonged and severe earthquake shock was experienced about 3.5 o'clock this afternoon. The direction was apparently north-west, and it caused considerable consternation. It is feared there must have been a good deal of damage in the country districts ■Christchurch Cathedral bells were set ringing, and in the houses pictures and crockery were smashed. The shock was felt severely in the Christchurch Press Co.’s big building. Some of the ornamental masonry on the front facing Cathedral Square broke away, and a krge portion crashed through the timber work of the election display board on to the pavement below. The Government Buildings, opposite the Press office in Worcester Street, rocked alarmingly, and onlookers thought the whole structure would open up. One of the patients in the Christchurch Hospital, who was in a low fitate, died as the result of the shock following the terrifying experience. DAMAGE IN THE COUNTRY. Telephone messages from Rangiora state that the shock was the most severe ever felt there. At the Junction Hotel all the masonry in the front part of the building fell across the street, smashing the verandah and doing other damage. At the Farmers’ Co on. stores in Rangiora, the plate glass windows were extensively cracked, aul considerable damage was done to the big stock of glassware and crockery, which was thrown from shelves to the floor. In the Red Lion Hotel all the bottles in the bar crashed to the floor. The levelling of chimneys is reported everywhere, and glass houses also suffered severely. At Waikuku and Southbrook, near Rangiora, it is reported every chimney in the township is down. At Waikuku Beach, where there were hundreds of picnickers, great fissures opened on the beach, through which the sea water forced its way. There were about a hundred motor cars parked on the beach, and they were all surging during the quake. People who rushed from their house® in Christchurch describe the roar of the ’quake in the distance as awe-inspiring. ORIGIN OF DISTURBANCE. Mr. H. F. Skey, director of the magnetic observatory, stated the violence of the earthquake shock militated against getting a complete record, the delicate recording instrument being put out of action. The waves appeared to come from the north-east.

Mr. Skey believed the origin of the disturbance was in the vicinity of Lake Sumner, in the Waikari district. North Canterbury, and he believes further disturbances are imminent. He state® today’s shake was purely local to Canter-

bury. The shake was severely felt at Cheviot, where the crashing of falling chimney® sent everybody on to the streets. At Ethelton the quake played havoc with the railway line, a portion of •which was thrown into the river. There was a similar experience at the Greta Pass. The telephone system all over North Canterbury suffered very badly, considerable damage being done to the Glenmark Anglican Church, a stone building. Fortunately this afternoon’s church service has been abandoned. LYTTELTON WHARVES ROCK. The ehock was severely felt at Lyttelton, where between thirty and forty chimneys were damaged, several being entirely demolished. The wharves rocked alarmingly, and several vessels in the harbor swayed at their moorings. Great precautions were taken by the railway officials concerning the tunnel, a train being sent through dead slow, and a gang examined the tunnel from end to end, but there is not the slightest sign pf any damage. In the Waikari township and district practically every chimney is down. In addition to the hospital losing all its chimneys, a big concrete water tank is badly cracked. People on the pier at Sumner were made so uncomfortable by the swaying of the structure that they rushed to the esplanade. WOMEN STARTLsD. The big crowd at Lancaster Park •watching the cricket match treated the earthquake as a highly humorous diversion, and amused iteelf -watching the big chimneys at the tramway power-house and gasworks, which were rocking dangerously, and various smaller chimneys on private houses, which showed promise of crumbling to the ground. The spectators in the stands received the full benefit of the phenomenon. Damage amounting to fifty pounds ■was done to Christchurch Cathedral. A piece of masonry weighing several hun-dred-weight crashed from the top of the Inglis building, opposite the White Hart Hotel, High Street, but fortunately there were no passers-by at the time. A large number of cases are reported of women rushing from houses and forming huddled groups in the roadways, where they remained until the visitation had passed. In some places trees are reported to be uprooted.

CHRISTCHURCH CATHEDRAL. DETAILS OF THE DAMAGE. Christchurch, Last Night. At the Cathedral the bells were rung down by the earthquake and two of the largest were shifted from their places, but did not fall. A number of slates on the roof were damaged, but evidently the spire is not injured. The crowds on the beaches had a queer experience, owing to the knocking sensation of the earthquake, but wav? motion was imperceptible. At Rangiora extensive cracks developed in the new High School building. The total damage by the quake is estimated at £3OOO. Maclaren’s team never before had a similar experience. Maclaren’s comment was: “No, never before, and I don’t want another!”