MUCH HAVOC

Wairarapa Times-Age, 26 June 1942, Page 3

MUCH HAVOC

IN GREYTOWN & DISTRICT BUT POSITION FACED RESOLUTELY. VISIT BY GOVERNOR-GENERAL YESTERDAY. With the break of the dawn yesterday morning, Greytown residents were out making a survey of the damage. It was impossible to find anyone who had not suffered. The E.P.S. Works Committee was early on the job and, assisted by the Home Guard and Territorials, made a start on the work of taking off the tops of chimneys, which although still standing, were pointing in all directions and were dangerous to the public. By midday the Army had a large force operating throughout. the borough. Some parts of the district still had a supply of electricity, but others had to resort to open-air tires to do their cooking. During the afternoon the Prime Minister visited the town and also the Waiohine Bridge, which was impassable. The Governor-General (Sir C. Newall) arrived in the town from the north about 5.30 p.m. He was met by the Mayor, Town Clerk and a number of leading citizens. Every shop and office in Greytown was left by the-earthquake in a terrible .mess. A chemist’s shop was a mixture of smells and broken bottles. Those who stocked, china and glass, had many breakages. The grocers found jellies, pollard and sauce all mixed up. Although in some cases the losses are severe, the general feeling is that it might have been worse. The Ahikouka district, from the borough boundary to the Waiohine Bridge, seemed to have been in the centre of the disturbance. The bridge was impassable till late last evening. Small fissures ran across the road and alongside the bitumen right from the bridge to the borough boundary. Most favourable comment was expressed throughout the day on the splendid work done by the Territorial units in assisting the citizens of their adopted town. The team spirit was most noticeable and the speed with which the work was done was most creditable. The cheery spirits of the soldiers was a tonic and a comfort. The Town Clerk, Mr J. Kiernan, is receiving applications from citizens who require urgent repairs to chimneys and preference is to be given to houses where there are no other cooking appliances. Only one chimney will be repaired in each house at a time. The necessity of an E.P.S. organised to function in peace time as well as war time has been brought home by the incidents of the last few days. The organisation, it is held, must be more than a paper one and must practise the mobilisation of its personnel. The system by which members are called for service in an emergency must go beyond the telephone system and the electric siren. Both these services were dislocated on Wednesday night, and this should be provided for. The experience of the various wardens on Wednesday night should make an interesting report for the basis of future training. One good feature of Wednesday night was the absence of any outbreak of fire in the Greytown borough. Fortunately the water mains were not damaged.