GISBORNE DAMAGE

Grey River Argus, 20 September 1932, Page 5

GISBORNE DAMAGE

STILL MOUNTING State Aid Essential MANY PLACES PROVE UNSAFE. (Per Press Association). GISBORNE, September 19. Ther e were unusual scenes in Gisborne ro-day, with shopkeepers removing their stocks from their premises, which have been ordered to b e evacuated. because of severe structural damage. Piaces which were only slightly cracked by Friday morning’s quake are made worse by the numerous severe jolts sustained since. On Saturday, one business premises was inspected, and cracks were found in the brickwork and concrete. It was thought that these could be repaired, but, even the n a considerable expense would be The two rather severe shakes on Sunday and numerous minor tremors enlarged the cracks con siderably, and to-day the premises were ordered to bo evacuated. In another case, the front window of a chemist’s shop' quite all right on Saturday night, but this morning the plate glass window was one and a quarter inches away from the corner beading and the lock on the front duor has tw o screws forced out, all due to Sunday’s shakes.

Amongst th c premises evacuated to date o n account of severe structural damage are the following:— J. G. Allan’s Derby Street twostorey building, with three shops on the ground floor, and studios and flats on the upper floor. G. S. Vincents, painter and paperhanger, containing, in addition to one shop' a sweet and fruit shop. Vincents Bird Shop, occupied by a hairdresser, but the chairs and barber’s saloon are still buried six or eight feet deep under the debris from a falling wall.

The Estate of Frank Harris, contain ing four shops. In addition the following places arc closed to th 0 public:— Holy Trinity Church; Salvation Army Citadel; Alajestic Theatre; and the Native Land Court buildings. Other premises vacuated hurriedly include Up'ton’s try.e surgery, which is a larg e modern service station, and numerous small shops The brick portion of the Alangapapa School is temporarily closed. It is still impossible to give an idea of the damage but it must run to an enormous sum. as practically the majority of the buldings in the tow r , have cracks visible on the outside; but whether these are serious or i s a matter for experts.

At present, investigation is being made only into the places considered urgently danger ous. The glaziers were busy to-day in replacing plate glass windows. On e pro niinent glazier has orders for twentythree windows, the largest costing thirty pounds, and none below twelve pounds ten. The broken plate glass windows must total at least u"e hun dred.

This morning one hundred and twenty unemployed were sent out. in response to applications, to clear up bricks, plaster, and mortar, and to pull down dangerous chimneys and walls. It is expected that this number of men will be' largely inc l eased to-morrow. A special meeting of the Borough Council was held to-day. to receive a report as to th e earthquake damage to Borough property, and Borough s p r vices. The Alayor, Air D. W Coleman. M P., presided. The acting Borough Engineer stated that Roebuck Road bridge wag damaged. The Band Rotunda is only held from total collapse by £ u y ropes. Considerable damage has been done to the sewer mains and breaks hav e occurred in the central area. The Alangapapa Road Bridge held, but th e parapet on the west side of the bridge fell into the stream. Several blow-outs occurred i n the water supply, and in the low area there are still a number of leaks requiring attention.

The report also states that the residential premises in the tow n have suffered sever e damage hundreds of chimneys falling and causing structural dam age to the houses. The lengthy report concluded as follows: “In comparison to previous quakes, this one appears to have caused a very great deal more damage, and the work of restoration will take many months.”

A motion was carried unanimously that th?' Government be urged to provide relief for the earthquake sufferers. The meeting also passed another motion that the Government be urged to take over the earthquake insurance in the Dominion, because the present rates are prohibitive. WARNING TO UNEMPLOYED. The Mayor, Air Coleman, requests that a statement be sent throughout the Dominion asking the unemployed not to come to Gisborne. “We hav e over sixteen hundred un- ; mployed here,” says Mr Coleman. “Many of these men have been out of work for a long period. Even with all of the additional labour now. un fortunately required, it will hardly be possible to employ the great majority of these men for any length of time.” Th e Mayor received a telegram to-day from Air Forbes, stating that he is making a national appeal for assistance for the sufferers by tho earthquake i n Gisborne and Wairoa. AI r Colema n also received the following telegram from Mr Coates: — “On my return,. I learned for the first lime of the extent and violence of the r cent arthquake. Coining as it has °n top of the 1931 disaster, and befor e the country has emerged from th e general depression, this is a severe test of fortitude and a call to the sympathy of all. Alay I join in expressing my personal symp'athy with thos e who have suffered injuries and loss. (Signed) Coates.