SECOND EDITION. ALARMING EARTHQUAKE AT TAUPO. EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO PROPERTY. THE INHABITANTS DESERT THEIR HOUSES AND CAMP OUT.

Evening Post, Volume L, Issue 43, 19 August 1895, Page 3

SECOND EDITION. ALARMING EARTHQUAKE AT TAUPO. EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO PROPERTY. THE INHABITANTS DESERT THEIR HOUSES AND CAMP OUT.

A series of eevere earthquake shoota ooourred at Taupo on Saturday and Sunday, and caused considerable damage. On Saturday evening Mr. Park, Postmaster at Taupo, wired as follows to the Seoretary of the General Post Office (Mr. W. Gray) • — ' 'We are having a succession of tremendous earthquakes. The first one ooourred at 6.27 p.m., and smashed a lot of orockery. They are by far the heaviest shocks I have ever felt. I expeot they will throw wires in contact, as tha direction is east to west. A swinging lamp suspended 7ft from a ctiling swung until it almost tonohed the roof." Later in the evening Mr. Patk sent the following message : — '• 9. JO p.m.— The shocks stall continue, lut are not so severe. Rotorua has not felt them at all. All the chimneys here are down, except mine and two at Lake Hotel. My battery jars are half emptied and in a great mess. The wires are in contact, as I anticipated. All reddents here are camping out. "1 he local store is in a great meaa, between broken bottles, castor oil, blankets, prints, Ac." Yesterday he telegraphed to Mr. Gray as follows:— "3 he earthquakes lasted till midday to-day. Only five chimneys are uoinjnred. At the Terrace Hotel very little orookery; or glassware is left. All the bottles in the hotel were thrown down. The earthquakes were severe over an area commencing at Wairakei and extending to M'fiae'a hotel. The inhabitants camped out all night." Two more telegrams oame to hand from Mr. Park last night. The firat was as follows :— We have not been able to see Tongariro j it is oloud-oapped. I rode to Eohokawa to-day, eight miles to N. 8., but all is quiet there. The shakes were not * severe atOrakeikorabo. The kitchen dresser at the Terrace Hotel was thrown on the floor, the kitchen range was shifted out several feet, the whole of the bottles in the bar were thrown on to the floor and smashed, while oases were moved so as to blook doors This is also the case at all the hotels, more or leas, while the local storekeeper's goods are all thrown ou the floor, mixing up castor oil. ladies' finery, vinegar, curry, blankets, *o. The road, where outtinca exist, is blocked by large slips, whioh have ocourred all round the hike. We can see hundreds as far as the eye can reaoh. The Tokaanu mail could not go to day owing to tbcße slips. There is nothing special at Wairakei. They keep ringing ns up, and were in great fear, but as my people preferred the outside to the inside we hod to leave them. All families bnt mine camped out in tents." The seoond message read as follows ;— " 6.7 p.m. — There is another severe shake." On Saturday ovening Mr. Harrington, officer-in-chargo at Napier, wired to Mr. Gray :— ' ' Two heavy distinot shocks of earthquake were experienced here— the first at 6.26 p.m., and the second, a very-severe and prolonged one, at 6 27. The direction was cist to west." About the same time Mr. Dansey, Postmaster at Botorna, telegraphed :— " Nothing felt here. I'ine starlight night. There is no unusual activity about the springs." Mr. Hebberley, of. Tarawera, telegraphed yesterday evening as follows: — "A very* sharp earthquake wa3 felt here laat night 3at 6.30. The shocks oontinubd until 10 o'olock to-day, on and off. No damage was done." A slight shock of earthquake was felt in Wellington at 6.2* p.m. on Saturday. The seismometer at the Museum failed to record it. Mr. Gray has received another telegram from Mr. Hebberley, stating that three more ■hooks were felt at Tarawera. The firßt ocourred at 6 o'clock, last night, and the otberß at 3 a m and 4 a.m. to-day.