LIVING ON TOP OF A JELLY

Evening Star, Issue 20252, 13 August 1929, Page 5

LIVING ON TOP OF A JELLY

LIFE AT MURCHISON [Special to the * Star.’] CHRISTCHURCH, August 12. “Liko living on top of a, big jelly” is tho manner'in which life at Murchison is described by Mr 13. F. Spiers, u well-known citizen of the town, and tiic man who organised the transportation of people from the town after tho big’ ’quake. “The; people, however, are settling down to the tasks of reconstruction, and their spirit is splendid. When Murchison quivers the residents pause, wait to sec if the quiver is tho end or the beginning of a shake, and go on with their work. Gradually the town is becoming almost fully repopulated, and present indications arc that nearly all the citizens will return. One business man has not yet returned, and has announced his intention of staying away from the town forever, although his wife is carrying cm tho business. This man, however, had a particularly bad time in tho big shake.” With temporary chimneys erected, and the dwelling houses restored to something like the state they were in before the terrible upheaval, the residents are beginning to take up tho thread of. progress whore it was broken, and Mr Spiers is confident that tho ultimate progress of the town will not have suffered by the earthquake. Business on the West Coast, of course, is very quiet at present, and the Coast will lose a certain amount of tourist traffic, although this may he compensated for by sightseers to the various badly-affectcd areas, which can only be appreciated by seeing them. Tho reconstruction of roads has ben started, and men arc flocking into.the district for work. Unfortunately all typos of men have been taken on lor road construction, and some of them arc simply “ leaning on their shovels.” Tracks are being cut through to isolated back districts, and a number of farmers are anxious to get their stock out, although it is difficult to understand why there should he any greater desire to place stock on the market than in other years. The reason may be tho difficulty in transportation, which is expected to affect the output of tho dairy factories. The entire cessation of business, added to the cost of repairing the damage, has meant a big loss to some of tho business men, but the Coast will remember the ’quake longest by the state of the roads. It will be many years before they are completely restored.