DISTRICT REPORTS.

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

DISTRICT REPORTS.

RUIN AT PAHIATUA.

BUSINESS DISORGANISED.

HEAVY LOSS IN WAIRARAPA,

Piess Association reports from districts in the earthquake area give a graphic indication of the extent of the damage. Pahiatua.—At Pahiatua the shocks were the most violent and disastrous ever experienced, and nearly 20 business premises were unable to open their doors for trading yesterday. Shortly before midnight, with appalling suddenness, the earthquake had the whole of the Pahiatua district in a remorseless grip. It lasted for nearly two minutes, and its intensity eoukl scarcely have been much less than that of the Napier earthquake of 1931. Only the absence of more pretentious and fewer brick buildings prevented destruction of a more wholesale nature. As it was, the damage to shops and private homes was enormous, and it will be a long time before the town regains its normal and attractive appearance. Well over £20,000 is the latest estimate of the earthquake damage to business firms. Heavy rain added to the destruction of certain stocks. Few shops escaped real damage. The W.F.C.A. experienced the heaviest lass. The most serious road blockage is between Pahiatua, Pongarou and Makuri. Hawera.—Widespread minor damage was caused in F' -era, the main shock being worse tha. any felt during the Napier and Mtirchison disasters. The losses of shopkeepers, however, would be covered by small amounts. Confusion was caused in the stocks of several stores, goods from fixtures being strewn across the floors. The most severe effects were cracked shop windows in the premises of ITarrops, Ltd., drapers, and Mr. H. N. Lester, fancy goods dealer, and a cracked wall at the rear of Burgess, Eraser's wholesale store. A dance was in progress in the winter show building. The shake caused excitement, several young women fainting, while a number made a hasty exit. There was, however, no panic, which possibly was prevented by the presence of mind of the orchestra, which continued playing. The majority resumed lancing. Blenheim.—A prolonged but gentle shake was felt here and stopped the town clock. It also caused a shorn circuit on the hydro-electric transmission system, plunging the province into iarkness for a quarter of an hour, but no damage was reported. Foxton.—The business area suffered considerably, and the footpaths were covered with broken glass, scarcely a shop window escaping damage. Many were not broken, but the frames were sprung and the plate glass was made unsafe. All the hotels suffered considerable losses, the storeroom of Whyte's Hotel being littered with broken bottles. The most serious damage was to the Town Hall. The top portion at the rear of brick and concrete structure cracked and crumpled right across about Oft 'from the top. It may have to come down. In practically every home in Foxton damage was done. Palmerston North.—A survey of the damage at Palmerston North shows that the business in the' square is most seriously affectcd. A brick wall fractured at the top crashed through the roof of Collineon and Son's to fall on counters, leaving a gaping hole. A large quantity of crockery was smashed at several other business premises. The tops of brick side walls fell during the height of the movement, causing damage to some skylights. Two big plate-glass windows were broken and in other premises glass entrance doors were broken. There was much damage to breakable stock. Hotels suffered heavy losses through bottled stocks. At the hospital i large water tank above the children's ward overflowed, the water pouring iown the staircase. At the Tiritea waterworks, the source of the city's main supply, a main pipe was broker, below the filter house, flooding the cellars. There was no interruption to the city's water supply. In the southern part of the city most damage appears to have been done, some of the houses having all their chimneys down. Reports from the country districts show that the earthquake was very severe. The bridge across the Manawatu River between Foxton and Levin is stated to have suffered badly. The Shannon Bridge across the same river, between Foxton and Shannon, is also damajred. The Railways Department reports that the line through the gorge was thrown Dut of alignment, but trains continued to pass over it at five miles an hour. Ill© bridges here are all in order. More extensive damage has occurred in the Wairarapa. Worst For Seventy Years. Masterton. —Reports from outlying listricts show that the earthquake was he most severe recorded in the Wai•arapa for at least 70 years. It was in the country to the north and cast of Masterton that the most damage was lone. Houses were twisted and .vrenclied off their foundations or torn isunder. Porches were ripped off from liain buildings and roofs were smashed iy falling chimneys. In some districts lot a chimney has been left standing ind many houses are scenes of demolition, the crockery, glassware and furniture being smashed or wrecked. One louse was nearly overwhelmed by a dip. Some of the' roads arc temporarily docked by slips, while on many of the •oads long, wide cracks have appeared ;h rough which, in some cases, water las oozed up. Many narrowly escaped lea th from falling chimneys. It is estimated that the damage done in the iVairarapa must be in the vicinity of £50,000. In many houses there is not i piece of crockery or glassware that las not been broken. "Wellington.—Some plaster was shaken lown in the Town Hall and in the ibrary. Also, some of the library helves were moved and some books were In-own down. Some cracks in the fire tation were widened. These are not as good earthquake flie old cast iron water main to the ity failed near Hutt Park, and a heavy iscape of water occurred, but it was :asilv repaired. The gas and ele ° trl ° ystems were undamaged. The J±u*t 'alley felt the shock more than the ity and the hotels there lost a fair mount of stock. Chimneys were down t Paekakariki and Paraparaumu. ' Marton. —In this district damage o ,nlv a minor nature has been done mildings. The telephone exchange was emporarily out of commission. A few himnevs are down and there June been ii in or breakages in shops. Had tlie quake finished with a jolt the rcsu * ( night well have been a tragedy.

Hastings.—The earthquake was felt with considerable intensity licre, but no damage was done. The first 'quake lasted four minutes and another lasting three followed ten minutes later. The seismograph had not recorded even a slight tremor for seven weeks previously. Until then there had not been a month since the big earthquake in which a tremor was not recorded. Petone.—The Hutt and Petonc business areas suffered damage to the extent of some hundreds of pounds in broken windows, crockery and glassware. The householders have suffered in damaged [Chimneys wrenching away hot water tank connections and causing troubles of a like nature. Wanganui.—Although nothing has occurred in the interior of the freezing works at Imlay to prevent operations as usual, some structural damage has been done to the brick walls, and a portion of the high gable was dislodged. A big slip occurred at the junction of Makirikiri Valley Road and the main road, but the main road is open. The Wanganui River road, of more recent construction, has subsided in places, and there'are a few small slips, but service cars and cream lorries are able to "et thiough. While the 'quake was in progress a Wanganui taxi-driver had an exciting experience when returning from Upokongaro with some friends. A portion of the face on the roadside fell as the car was passing and struck the rear ot the vehicle. Some damage was done to the car but no one was hurt.