WAIKATO EARTHQUAKES

Taranaki Daily News, 15 November 1926, Page 11

WAIKATO EARTHQUAKES

MORRINSVILLE NORMAL MORE SHOCKS AT HAMILTON. NO RECORDS AT OBSERVATORY. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Auckland, Nov. 13. The Auckland Star’s Morrinsville correspondent says that residents spent an uneasy night. Earthquake tremors were felt all night and up to 6.40 a.m. this morning. Many people are planning to desert the town if the shakes continue, and many did not go to bed; others slept, or tried to sleep, fully clothed. When the first quake occurred, at 6.40 p.m., people rushed out of their houses and some women fainted. On re-entering tile houses, many found the floors strewn with the wreckage of briken bottles, clocks, pictures, etc. In some houses the plaster had come from oil the ceilings and walls. A Mrs. Sarich was struck on the head by a brick, and others sustained minor injuries. Several brick buildings show distinct cracks, and one wall of the Morrinsville Joinery Company’s store had to be supported to prevent its collapse. In many shops practically everything was thrown from the shelves. Mr. B. J. Sarich, a grocer, estimates his lose at £lOO, while Mr. H. Sanders, another grocer, suffered nearly as badly. Twenty shocks.have been felt since 0 a.m. yesterday. Later. The latest message from the Star’s special correspondent states that business, which was completely disorganised in Morrinsville yesterday, is now returning to normal. No shocks have been felt since 8.40 this morning. It is also noticed they have been decreasing in severity, there being five hours interval in the early- morning without tremors. Auckland, Last Night. Advices by telephone from Morrinsville state that no more earthquakes have occurred to-day. The residents are now repairing the damage caused by the ■hocks.

MORE SHAKES AT HAMILTON. DAMAGE AT MORRINSVILLE. Hamilton, Nov. 13. Two further shakes were felt in Hamilton last evening; although the latter was somewhat severe no damage was done. Widespread damage was done in Morrinsville yesterday, but the surrounding districts suffered less severely. At Morrinsville several people had narrow escapes from injury. It is the severest earthquake remembered, and the number of shocks since 9 a.m. yesterday was unprecedented. The infanta’ school roof was damaged so as to render the building unsafe for occupation. The losses of tradesmen, due to broken goods, is extensive. A woman was struck by a flying brick and her head severely lacerated, necessitating attention. A barber and a customer ran into the street, one with a razor in his hand, the other with his face lathered and a towel round his neck. A bank manager ran out of a boot shop with hie boots in his hand. NO RECORDS RECEIVED. Wellington, Nov. 13. Dr. Adams, Government seismologist, ■aid to-day that no records had yet been received by the Dominion Observatory of the earthquakes at Morrinsville. Until they were it was premature to comment on the severity of the shock. He cordially agreed that .1 more widespread distribution of seismological instruments, as suggested by Mr. Ford at Auckland, was desirable in tlie Auckland district. The further north one went the fewer the earthquake centres. Very few earthquakes had been recorded as having Morrinsville as the centre.