AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 8559, 19 October 1907, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

THE NEWCASTLE "CREEP." THE AREA AFFECTED. AN EXCITING EXPERIENCE. Received October 18, 9.30 a.m. SYDNEY, October 38. Latest reports from Newcastle state that altogether an area of between forty and fifty acres has been affected by the "creep," though in - only a portion is the subsidence really serious. There are about four hundred houses within tha area.. Amongst the premises damaged are the Congregational and Catholic Churches, the Methodist Mission Hall, and the palatial residence of Mr F. Hall, adjoining Mr Woods' residence. Last night the reservoig on "The Hill," with a holding capacity of 200,000 gallons, began leaking. into the old workings below. The main reservoir, however, is intact. The city engineer reported last night that he anticipated no danger. The estimates of the damage are very wide, ranging from £40,C03 to £IOO,OOO. The residents of some of the damaged houses had rather an exciting experience. No one wa% injured. Residents of Newcastle could not have been unprepared for the present "creep," as considerable sensation was caused in May of last year by a similar weird occurrence at Shepherd's Hill, one of th"3 most popular residential sites. Then, as now, much damage was done. Shepherd's" Hilloc.upies l DosiHon adjacent to.the undeiground workings of the sea pit. It is surmised that a "creep" took place in some portions of the workings, causing the surface to be rent and buckled. About three hundred acres suffered. Terrace Street was much affected by the subsidence. ; The houses in that part of the t nvn are built mostly of brick, and every one of them was more or less damwhile the water and gas mains were: twisted and broken. Residents of Shepherd's Hill felt the earth trembling, the effect being most severe. About half-way up Terrace Street the walls of the houses were thrown out of plumb, and cracks made ranging up to two jnchos wide. The lawns and backyards were lined with crevices. ~ the residents quickly evacuated their homes, many seeking refuge with relatives or in the hotels in the town. The masonry of the forts was cracked in places, and much injury was done to the gun mountings. Viewed from any point, ic seemed as if the whole hill had' lott its foundation and subsided a couple of inches. The rupture of the water mains drained the high-pressure tank, containing several, thousand gallons, on the apex of the hill. Water escaped from the main, reservoir at Newcastle. Later a weak spot was discovered in the Sea Pit mine, and men and horses engaged there were with- ! drawn. Received October 19, 12.5 a..m. SYDNEY, October 18. The "creep" at Newcastle is still working. Four to five shocks "were felt to-day. accompanied by loud reports. This caused the majority of the* rifts* in ■'■ the surface to open out considerably. Most of the buildings damaged yesterday sustained further damage to-dayl. A SHIP WRECKED. I Received October 18, 9.2 a.m. HoBART, October 18. The Swedish ship Alfhild, from Kio to Hobart, in ballast, was wrecked on the west coast on Thursday morning of. last week. The first news was brought last night by the steamer Koonookarra, which brought six. of the Aifhild's crew. '■-.■• The ship struck, near dreen Island, during a heavy storm, in a place, 18 feet from the mainland cliffs. She then drifted further in shore, and within half an hour broke up. There were tremendous seas mining. Some of the crew, which numbered seventeen, managed to lower two of the boats. Eight got into one and three into the other. , As the boats reached the beach they were smashed to pieces. One man was drowned, but ten men got ashore and were joined by three of those who had been lett on the ship, they swimming"ashore. The remaining three on the ship lost their lives. One of them was on a portion of the wreck for four days before dropping into the sea. The thirteen men on shore wandered in search of food, but found only a few shellfish. * However, they discovered a boat, and six of them embarked on Monday and reached Mootonyker, but only in time, as the boat was swamped as they landed. They were received and'hospitably treated at the lighthouse. Those rescued entertain grave fears for the safety of the seven men left near the wreck, who had been without fond for eight days. When the boat left they were in a bad condition, especially the captain. The Koonookarra left last night to search for the missing men. Another account states that two seamen, the carpenter and steward, Olsen the cook, and Jacobsen were drowned. A STRIKE AVERTED. Received October 18, 10.21 a.m. SYDNEY, October 18. . An increase in the hewing rate has been conceded the Western miners, and a strike averted.

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