HEAVY LOSS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 56, 7 March 1934, Page 9

HEAVY LOSS.

'QUAKE WRECKAGE.

'QUAKE WRECKAGE.

MANY TOWNS INVOLVED. APPEAL MADE TO STATE. The trail of damage left by the earthquake which shook the greater part of the North Island just before midnight on Monday covers many towns in the northern part of the Wellington province. At Pahiiit.ua and Woodville, in the middle of the stricken area, many shops were wrecked, heavy loss being caused to business people whose stocks consisted of breakable goods. The chimneys of many private houses over a wide area fell during the prolonged first shock, which in some places was like a swaying fore and aft motion, continuing for at least three minutes. At Woodville people were awakened suddenly and thrown from their beds. There was a general rush to the safety of the streets and no one was reported injured. Only two deaths occurred following the earthquake, both being due to shock. The victims, one a Pahiatua business man and the other a woman resident of Greytown, were in ill health at the time. Area of Greatest Disturbance. The area of greatest disturbance extended across the southern part of the North Island from Wanganui, Foxton on the west coast, to Waipukurau on the east. Within this belt the first shockwas one of the most severe ever experienced. In many well-known towns, including Palmerston North, Dannevirke and Masterton, the loss in damage to buildings and homes is estimated at some thousands of pounds. Outside the main belt affected the shocks caused only minor loss and, in the are.a of the destructive Hawke's Bay earthquake three years ago, the damage was only trivial. The Mayor of Pahiatua has forwarded a message to the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon G. W. Forbes, and also to the. Minister of Lands, the Hon. E. A. Ransom, stating that funds are urgently required to pay for labour in salvaging earthquake-damaged premises. A Press Association message states that at a meeting of the Pahiatua Farmers' Union yesterday afternoon it was resolved unanimously that strong representations be made to the Government, urging the vital necessity for the Public Works Department to take control of the reconstruction of chimneys destroyed, and suggesting that, owing to the magnitude of the disaster, cach home so damaged be provided with one chimney and the restoration of its water ser.ice.