’QUAKE NOTES

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXII, Issue 11453, 2 March 1931, Page 3

’QUAKE NOTES

A.' Hastings friend writing from .Wellington says that .as a result of earthquake' experiences, in Hastings, the ...usual ‘‘crushed-in” feeling of a city is increased. “I feel,” says the correspondent, ‘‘that it is safer in Hastings. Everything that can come down is down. I am coming hack.*’ , ' ,

Among those working almost, unnoticed in rendering invaluable service to the people of Hastings is Mr. H. I). Money, of who is a pilot, employee] by Rotorua Airways Ltd. Almost since the first day of the earthquake on, February 3 he has been making flights daily, and sometimes twice .daily from -Rotorua and other .towns to' Hastings, bringing down stores, medical supplies, anti ‘other very necessary "articles. His services are. being given entirelv without charge, and have been most valuable to the community. It was Mr. Money who flew from Rotorua with the £2OO in notes which the Rotorua Borough Council gave to the local relief fund.—-“ Tribune.” '

jOne redeeming feature in connection with the-dislocation of the freezing business at. Hastings, is that, owing \fo the unfavorable season it is" estimated that seventy per cent, of. the killings -had already taken place at the-time of the earthquake. This position is fortunate as a large sum. for wages has already been circulated in the district. The question of reducing freights on stock consigned to outside works should receive the consideration of the Oovornmont, as any reduction in charges will'he a great; assistance iu the deplorable state of the export market- —“ Tribune.”

Caring for refugees in Wanganui brings its humorous incidents. The other afternoon the Rev. TT. 0. Coring superintended ' the loading up ol a' lorry which was to convey a refugee family and their belong'ngs to CiaslJeclilf. ” Relieving that all the children Wdre safely ahead, the, minister gave the signal to the driver to leave. The machine was just under way when the mother screamed from her position up aloft: “My other bahv. Wherp is mv other baby? l-le’s not here.” The lorry was stopped and the missing baby recovered, for which all were truly thankful.

The health authorities in Christchurch have been advised that the Government has made arrangements that cases from the Hawke’s Ray earthquake area suitable for treatment at Hanmer Springs wiil be conveyed and kept there free of charge. So far advantage of this privilege has not been taken.

About one hundred breaks in the concrete footpaths throughout. Hastings were caused by the recent earthquakes, said Air. C. E. Evans thorough engineer) at a council meeting. In some instances slabs of concrete as large ns eight or nine feet by four or five were turned completely ove r

Why is it that wax figures out of drawers’ shop® always look- sc _ absurd out of their preper setting? Everyone smiled when thev saw. a nainted female dummy figure staiy'ing in Russell street. Hast mgs. -vri'-h a policeman near it in uu con sc: on® contrast Wairoa business men on both sides of the river are agreed that the trade of the town is at a standstill through two causes, the loss of the big hridge and the destruction by fire of the freezing works, nod until these are. restored the outlook for Wairoa is a very poor one. On the speedy restoration of these two main strings of the town the whole future ol Wairoa depends.—“Star.’’ Most people- think that a new ro°d will have to be made to take the olnce of the on 0 ai the Tnriron cutting. One old resident has suggested that the onlv safe routy is one that will go up the Tawlmra valley and connect un with the Kiwi road on to the Napier highway. The late Mr. Eustace Lane strongly advocated this route. —“Star.”

Tim Prime Minister Jins now wired ns follows to the Wairoa Relief Committee: "Work of re-conditioning nrivate residences in Wairoa. is In be continued on the same lines as nreviouslv carried nut hv the Public Works Department.” The work will be carried on as expeditiously as possible? under the supervision and organisation of Mr. Trevor Smith end his' staff'. 'ln response Io: the• Relief Committee’s reemest for the appointment of an independent assessor of damage to business premises, the Prime Minister telegraphed ns follows: “Services of the Public Works Department will be available to advise on questions of demolition or strengthening and repair of damaged buildings.” It. is hoped to have this work nut in* hand immediately.— “Star.”

. As almost every dwelling in Hastings and Napier must, receive expert attention as the result of the quake, the magnitude of the task' can be ganged by an enumeration taken, in 1920, since when the number *ot houses has increased. At the date ol the last census there were 9219 dwellings in Napier, of which 3090 were constructed of wood. 00 of concrete, and -10 of brick. Hastings has 2330 dwellings, 2110 being of wood, 4.5 of concrete, and 39 of hrielc. Rented houses in Napier totalled 1649 and in Hastings 1033

"Writing to his mother in South Canterbury, a farmer in the earthmnko area at Hastings has the following to.say concerning the shake: “We hav c , two days and' two nights of IT el 1 one does not know what it is- like until one has .been Through it. Wo had another violent, shake this morning, and a hundred shakes last night. We are- getting them' every few minutes since the big shakes. T feel : absolutely dene, having had no s’eop for three days and two nights. I will send the wife and children to yon: they will go mad if it lasts much longer. . . 1 feel 1 cannot write,.

While the clothes received for the earthquake relief fund at the Wellington Town Hall were being sorted and classified in the gallery of tho Concert Chamber, a day nr two ago, a, quantity bein<* on the floor outside as well the wife of the Acustodian nlaced her washhag outskle her; door to be taken below for collection J An hour or so later it had disappeared, except for the empty hag. having Keen taken in as a contribution to the relief fund. Orb w two articles were recovered in the Concert Chamber but tbo area ter unction of the contents of the hag had been distributed to refugees.

A .rather remarkable incident ■ occurred in connection vHh the recent earthen eke (snvs the “PateaPress’’!. An elderly man who was motorin'* fhrnno-h to ■ Nm-der frrai tbo.',north Hopnecl at the Central Hotel. Pafeat for tea, TTr fmbe"red "gi ,o «vtl” dis-tressed,-and stated that lie had a wifn .and daughter in -the.' sHd-pa ■n-eri, a”d w°s rnmous to see if they alive. “W" lioyo a nartv from V" , ?ier now ha" r *n<* fo« -R told and on wvy'ee'RrM? to the din’ng mom to ir,+or V iow them he was astonished n.nd to find that the nnrty consisted pt his) wife and daughter,