AFTER THE 'QUAKE

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXX, Issue 12199, 10 March 1934, Page 2

AFTER THE 'QUAKE

LANDS 1 MINISTER TO VISIT iMM.CKLA.YERS STILL. WANTED f

- .(Press Association)/ y-;"7 0 - PAHffAiT’GA, March 9. The Ho'n. E.’ A. Ransom' lias- advised.' the Mayor,' Mi* Wilson, that he will meet local residents- on Monday afternoon to discuss quake losses.. _ - V ? Further slight tremors have been experienced. Advice has been received -from .the Commissioner of Employment that relief labor may be diverted t 0( clearing dangerous debris and chimneys, provided that it shall not, in the meantime, extend to persons or-con-cerns to whom such assistance is not an urgent ‘necessity. - * ,

■' A little more excitement was caus' : ed by a false alarm of fire last night and also a 'small’' outbreak 1 near “a damaged ' kitchen chimney in a private residence' this morning. The flames were quelled by the occupant with a garden- hose the brigade arrived-

It is- reported that good bricklayers arc wanted for ' temporary repairs to damaged chimneys. Boisterous damp weather prevails. In regard to permanent reconstruction of chimneys, the Mayer, Mr Wilson, made a. suggestion that the’ underwriters ■ shall have a representative here for a month in connection with the work. A public meeting -has been convened for the- Mayor-on Monday morning to consider qiiakp matters and appoint speakers -on a . deputation the same afternoon to the lion. E. ; A. Ransom.

S'o heavy is the demand for gas ; now that ranges are nut of action,.4 and night shifts are necessary at , the works. The manager and his assistant were working all last nighty • -lit about the time the false. alarm of . fire was given. Stoking tho furnace and'drawing tho charge always causes dense volumes of black sm°k e and j some flare to belch from- the chim- ; ney and a Large number of people ; were ‘ startled by the false alarm.

’ 800 CHIMNEYS DAMAGED IN PALMERSTON. COURT- BUILDINGS SUFFER. (Press Association/ PALMERSTON N., March' 9 Evidence of the large number °J .chimneys requiring attention after /Monday night’s earthquake in accumulating. To date’ 250 applications ■have, been made to the. City .Council for' permits' fc‘r reconstruction . and repairs, involving on an average two chimneys to ‘each applicant. It is that flic total number ol ■chimneys affected will reach 800. An inspection of the court buildings reveals signs of the stress 4° which it: wan subjected. It is anticipated that officials of the Public Works Department will be asked to make a survey. ft appears that there lias been a shifting of the cutward wall of olio corner, and also, cracking. Along the wall ba:ae..outr. side an t [ inside, at several corners, 'it is possible to tb'rust a pencil between the cracks.

Similarly, cracks have been found in tho brickwork of other old buildings where they wore not formerly discernible. All modern buildings, including brick, withstood the severity of the movement.