DISTRICT ROCKED

Wairarapa Times-Age, 3 August 1942, Page 3

DISTRICT ROCKED

COUNTRY AREAS SUFFER BADLY MASTERTON BUILDINGS AGAIN WRENCHED. MANY CHIMNEYS DEMOLISHED. For the second time within five weeks Masterton and the Wairarapa were rocked by a severe earthquake early on Sunday morning. This disturbance, which was a prolonged one with a considerable swaying movement but fortunately without any jolt, followed a fairly' substantial shake at 4.40 p.m. on Saturday. The earthquake on Sunday morning was not so severe in Masterton, however, as that on June 24, which caused widespread damage throughout the district, though in some country areas it is said to have been even heavier than the one experienced five weeks ago. In Masterton one or two parapets, damaged in the previous earthquake, crashed to the ground, notably on the building occupied by the Wairarapa Aerated Water Co., Ltd., in Bannister Street. The building appears to be badly damaged. Portion of the parapets on Messrs Fly and Young’s sampie rooms and on the old Technical School also fell away. The Masterton Fire Brigade Station, the front portion of which had been reduced to a single story, again suffered severely, and it is believed that the whole of the front part of the building will have to be demolished. The Municipal Building also developed new cracks and the position is such that it was thought inadvisable to hold a dance in the hall on Saturday night. There has been some further opening of cracks in the A.M.P. building. In many cases buildings damaged on June 24 have developed further weaknesses and the cost of reinstatement in some instances is now likely to approach that of a new structure altogether. The Public Trust Office had several windows cracked or broken. Losses were again suffered by grocers, chemists and crockery dealers. Chimneys which had previously escaped damage crashed and many of the rebuilt ones were damaged.

COUNTRY DISTRICTS FARE BADLY At Eketahuna, Tinui, Whakataki and Castlepoint yesterday’s earthquake was particularly severe and in parts of the East Coast and Eketahuna district chimneys which withstood the 'previous big shake were damaged or destroyed, tanks were thrown to the ground, houses badly wrenched and gaps opened up in the roads. Bad cracks are reported in the roads in the, Tinui district and jt is feared that rain may bring down large slips. Many bridges in the district are badly strained. At the Blairlogie Hotel, chimneys which had just been reerected after the last shake were again brought down. Considerable damage was done to stock in the. hotel. The Upper Plain district also felt the shake severely, water tanks and chimneys being thrown down. Considerable damage was caused in the Wangaehu and Taueru areas, which invariably get the worst of any earthquakes. EKETAHUNA SUFFERS SEVERELY. The ruin of the Post Office at Eketahuna was completed by yesterday's earthquake and other buildings in that town were damaged. A large number cf chimneys were brought down, including some of those which had been reconditioned. The water mains were broken at two points by a road subsidence and the town supply was cut off throughout yesterday. Powei- also was not restored until about 5 p.m. Serious cracks, subsidences and slips are apparent on the main road south of Eketahuna. Most of the chimneys in the Alfredton district were brought down, ncluding many which had been rebuilt a few days earlier. At Mauriceville the earthquake yesterday morning was severely felt, being quite equal to that of June 24. Very few houses escaped some damage. Windows were broken and recently re-erected chimneys came down. Householders suffered severe loss as the result of the destruction of crockery and glassware. Cracks have opened up in some of the roads. TE WHARAU & FLAT POINT. The earthquake in the Te Wharau and Flat Point districts was considered to be more severe than that of June 24. Along the coast in the first big earthquake in June little damage was done but Sunday morning’s shake caused considerable destruction, chimneys crashing down, houses being badly shaken and crockery and glassware destroyed. Trouble was experienced at Castlepoint lighthouse, where the afternoon quake split the mercury in the light

control. This was replaced, but was again split by the second quake. GARTERTON GAS WORKS. At the Car ter ton Gas Works, which escaped damage on June 24, the retort doors were flung open by the shake and the new settings were cracked. Messrs A. Ingley (manager) and R. Leith (engineer) were working in the factory repairing an exhauster when an iron bar 16ft long became dislodged and falling some 25 feet, crashed through the engine room roof. Luckily it missed the gas engine by inches. The two men made a hurried exit and had a narrow escape from injury or death as both had been working where the heavy bar crashed through the engine room roof. The big brick chimney stack is cracked. The manager reports that practically all the gas in the holder was lost, but this morning things were normal again. At the Parkvale Cheese Factory, which was badly damaged in thejoig shake, more damage was done and further cracks and bulges have developed. The building at the moment does not appear to be safe to work in, but this ' cannot be ascertained until it is examined by an engineer. In any case ex- ■ tensive repairs will be necessary. The brick works on this occasion ; only suffered minor damage, but one of • the chimney stacks is out of alignment • and will need repairing. : Brick buildings in Carterton receiv- ; cd further damage, many cracks openi ing up. Chimneys suffered, but not to I such an. extent as in the big shake over I a month ago. Plate glass windows in I Deller’s Meat Mart, which escaped the ■ former visitation, were broken. Burridge’s depot had several windows broken and the building received further damage. The Carterton Furnish- > ing Company’s chimney in the uphol- , stering room collapsed and went ; through the roof. Heavy rolls of linoleum were capsized in all direc- ’ tions. Wardrobes were overthrown i and mirrors broken. The cracks in the , Memorial Gates at the showgrounds J have been considerably widened and it j looks as if the eastern arch will have , to be re-built.

FEATHERSTON AREA. In Featherston, Messrs G. Cook Ltd’s. large store sheds were shifted three to four feet, a truck being damaged as the result. The whole structure will have to be re-erected. Further cracks are visible in the Bank of New Zealand building and at the' Post Office. Five renovated chimneys were again brought down. COASTAL ROADS BLOCKED. All the coast roads in the Martinborough district are blocked by slips and subsidences. Cracks a foot wide have appeared in some places. Chimneys' in 'the coastal area were brought down right to the ground. In this district it is stated that the earthquake was even more severe than the one on June 24. In Martinborough , many chimneys were damaged, and many will have to be reconstructed. Cracks in buildings have.opened up, and some new ones have appeared in the Town Hall. SOUTH WAIRARAPA TOWNS. Newly erected chimneys in Greytown in many cases were damaged. Reports from Morison’s Bush at Matarawa show that more damage was done there than in the previous shake. The approaches at both ends of the Waiohine Bridge dropped, but a repair gang made the road open for traffic on Sunday. Numerous new cracks are showing on the main highway between Greytown and the Waiohine River. Opposite the homestead of Mr H. W. Feast, a deposit of sand was found in the centre of the road. The earthquake at 4.40 p.m. caused some consternation among people in picture theatres and many hurriedly left the buildings. People in Queen Street quickly made their way to the middle of the roadway. SHARP JOLT FELT IN DUNEDIN. (Bv Telegraph—Press Association.) DUNEDIN, August 2. An earthquake was felt in the city at 12.35 o’clock this morning. It was a sharp jolt, but no damage is reported.