DEMOLITION ORDERED

Wairarapa Times-Age, 25 June 1942, Page 3

DEMOLITION ORDERED

MASTERTON POST OFFICE TOWER WITH PARTS OF WALLS OF BUILDING. STRUCTURE NO LONGER SAFE. The Masterton Post Office clock tower has been badly cracked and shaken by the earthquake and its demolition has been ordered, together with a considerable part of the upper walls of the Post Office building. The whole of the front offices have meantime been closed to the public.

BLOCKS OF MASONRY

CRASH TO FOOTPATHS IN WELLINGTON STRUCTURAL AND OTHER DAMAGE. MANY WINDOWS SMASHED. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. Preceded by a sharp but brief shock at 8.15 p.m., the earthquake began at 11.18 p.m. and continued with growing intensity for about 30 seconds. Buildings swayed terrifyingly and many people rushed into the streets as windows began to shatter and chimneys fell. Large blocks of masonry crashed on to the footpath in many parts of the city and in some buildings steam pipes were torn asunder, causing some flooding. Probably the most serious damage was the cracking of the walls of some of the older city buildings, a good deal of serious structural damage being done. Plate-glass windows suffered severely. No reports have been received of anyone being injured. Brilliant green flashes were seen out at sea, indicating that there was a marine disturbance. Many shopkeepers will find on their return to work this morning that part of their stocks have fallen from the shelves. Judging, however, from a few examples seen last night, the damage from this cause will not be great. Windows in various parts of Wellington were smashed, notably a number of the plateglass display windows in the city. The damage of this nature was at scattered points—perhaps twice or several times in every block in the city centre. In years past, following on the Napier earthquake, most of Wellington’s overhanging parapets were removed for the sake of safety. Nevertheless, here and there bricks, concrete and mortar last night fell to the street. The most notable example seen in a preliminary survey in the city was at 123 Willis Street, where several hundredweight of concrete fell io the street from near the top of the building. Next door, at the shop of K. W. Young, Chinese fruiterer, the entire plate-glass front fell away, shattered. E.P.S. personnel were very quickly called out. while many were already well at their posts when their orders arrived, and tin-hatted men with axe at belt were soon about the city. The fire-watchers were, naturally, a valuable asset.

Members oi the House of Representatives had just risen for the night when a rumbling noise which echoed through Parliament Buildings heralded the approach of the earthquake a moment later. Corridors and rooms throughout the buildings were sprinkled with plaster which fell from ceilings and walls. At the Bowen Street end of the buildings lumps of rubble and brickwork crashed to the ground, one large lump smashing thruughg the top of a motor-car which was parked alongside the wall. The earthquake was felt very severely at the Thorndon end of the city and everywhere there was general alarm.

Telephone services were disrupted, communications being impossible with Wanganui and certain other centres. Lifts in the city were put out of action. Damage was caused in many homes in Wellington, crockery and pictures being hurled to the floor.