EVACUATE NAPIER

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 112, 5 February 1931, Page 9

EVACUATE NAPIER

General Order Issued TWO DAYS GIVEN Serious Disease Feared SEWERAGE BREAKDOWN Dominion Special Service. Hastings, February 4. A general order was issued tonight decreeing the evacuation of Napier within two days. There has lieen a breakdown in the sewerage, and the authorities fear that an outbreak of serious disease may result if the inhabitants do not leave the town as expeditiously as possible.

Arrangements have already been made to evacuate 5000 women and children to Palmerston North. Small shakes preceded by booming in the hills to the west are still being experienced in the stricken area. Two fires are still burning in Hastings to-night. Families are camping in gardens and on waysides and under canvas throughout the Napier-Hastings area. EXPLOSIVES WANTED Chlorinating Plant FIVE PLANES DEPART i By Telegraph—Press Association. Auckland, February 4. The following message from the commodore of the Dunedin, who is ashore at Napier, to the. warship was intercepted by H.M.S. Veronica:— “Send lieutenant in charge of torpedo stores with all available demolition stores to’ report to Veronica.” Commander Clover said this message indicated that it was intended to blow up several buildings in Napier in order to check the flames., The commander of the Veronica later sent the following message to the commodore of the Dunedin:— “The O.C. Air Base reports that four moth planes are ready for immediate service. Mr. Elliot Davis offers chlorinating plant, which will be carried by plane.” The commodore replied with a request that chlorinating plant be sent. Five aeroplanes left Auckland this afternoon with the plant-and an expert SCHOOLBOYS’ FATE , Technical College Scenes EXTENT OF DAMAGE, , Dominion Special Service. Napier, February 4. In the rtiins of the Technical College, several boys are known to be buried beneath a mass of brieks and mortar. Mothers from all parts of Napier and Hawke’s Bay came pleading for information, and heartrending scenes were witnessed. There were many buildings which had cost £30,000 and upwards to erect, of which not a vestige remains but bricks and mortar. Among the few buildings standing almost intact, however, are Dalgety’s, A.O.F. building, Public Trust, and Power Board offices. These are cracked. The new Post Office, opened by the Hon. J. B. Donald in May, 1929, is practically a shell. Pictures of the battle-scarred towns and villages of France and Flanders are scenes not one whit worse than those in the business area of Napier. Dr. Moore’s large hospital, near the Bluff, was broken round the base, and took a backw«"d cant of five to ten degrees, but did not topple right over. The Napier newspaper offices are in ruins. There were several new buildings which had been erected under the lee of the bluff, and in the neighbourhood of Emerson Street, including the new Anglican Church, hardly any of which are now anything but tottering walls. The conduct of the people under the awful calamity which has befallen them, is magnificent, their courage being beyond all praise. They are not bemoaning their fate. The women and children are being evacuated as fast as motor-oars can get them away, and the meh are giving a helping hand in every possible way. Two hours after the first earthquake many business men returned to their offices and succeeded in saving valuable books, documents, and cash, and all through the day stores have been collected from the buildings that can be entered. DIED OF SHOCK Mr. C. Plank, of telegraph engineers’ headquarters staff, received advice yesterday morning of the death from shock of his brother, who was head gardener to the Napier Hospital. Deceased was known to have a weak heart.