ORDER IN NAPIER

Hawera Star, Volume L, 9 February 1931, Page 9

ORDER IN NAPIER

REHABILITATION WORK HEALTH OF COMMUNITY GOOD FURTHER SHAKES RECORDED WALLS CONTINUE COLLAPSING (By Telegraph—Preea Association. J NAPIER, Peb. 9. The weather is dull and threatening, the sea calm ana the wind in a bad quarter, south-west to south, but the weather will probably take up. An inspection of the country reveals that river-banks are badly damaged, but these are being repaired. A bank is being erecte.d round tne base hospital at the racecourse, which is not much, above sea-level, as it existed prior to the beginning of the —saster. Although there has been much minor •nieving, "nothing serious has been re-

ported. The town and district are almost devoid of women and children. The men are being given work in ail directions and there is muc« to uo. A violent shock at 9.30 o’clock lasi night causeu further alarm, but mere were no farther shakes, beyond tremors till daylight. At 8.45 a.m. to-day there was a still more violent shake, lasing minutes, but did not cause so much alarm, it being daylight. Refugees are requested to refrain from returning till advised that the town is safe. The fact that the earth is cracked and broken is evidently dissipating tne shocks, so that very little further damage is being done, except to dangerous buildings, walls, etc., which continue to collapse. The casualty list issued on Saturday is the police record and contains nothing in reference to any person whose body has not been recovered. Whilst it is known that many more bodies remain to be discovered, no names can be given by the police. Nothing has occurred since the original ’quake to justify any sensational statements. The organisation is working splendidly. There is no fever, no ilood or no further nres. An important statement was made by Dr. «. Allan Berry to-day to a Press Association representative. Asked if he could state if the health of the imprisoned community in Napier was good, he said: “It is far better than any of us hoped, for." ‘‘ riave any cases of typhoid or other serious diseases been reported?” Dr. Berry was asked. IT i\'o; of course, typhoid takes from two to three weeks to manifest itself,” he replied. Answering a further question, he said he could definitely state that the chances of any epidemic breaking out were extremely remote. ft is pointed out that the doctor’s statement should give a reassurance to refugees that wild rumours circulated throughout the country are absolutely foundationless.

TRIBUTE TO PEOPLE’S SPIRIT

HASTINGS MEMORIAL SERVICE.

SYMPATHY OF THE KING

“As His Majecty’si representative in the Dominion,” said Lord Bledisloe at a combined memorial service held at Cornwall, Park Hastings, “I assure you that His Majesty’s is thinking of you and .praying for you continually. I will be proud to tell His Majecty, as I have already been telling ill a cable sent him) to-day, that in the face of the terrible calamity that has befallen you, there is a magnificent spirit of sympathy and co-operation and throughout the whole community to think of others rather than yourselves. I shall be proud to tell him that they have been put to the test and have amply demonstrated those great qualities of quiet courage, resourcefullness, devotion duty and calculated unselfishness that have always charcterised the British race.”

His Excellency hoped to visit all the injured in hospital in Napier and Hastings and the other towns to which they have been removed. “I want as a man/’ he said, “not so much as His Majesty’s representative, to appeal to my fellowmen and ask them’ to maintain those qualities that already have been so strongly in evidence—among them, qualities of steady courage, level-headedness and presence of mind —if only for the sake of our splendid women, who from all I have heard, and in spite of the frailty that is supposed to characterise them, have in the hospitals and elsewhere done a. most wonderful, brave and unselfishwork. Do nothing to deprive them of their presence of mind or to undermine their already shattered nerves.” His Excellency continued: “Allow •me to congratulate you all on the splendid .spirit you have shown and cn the 00-operation not only among the religious, ministers here but also among men of all political views and all walks of life. Let us have* that co-operation that was already necessary for economic reason before this tragedy but which is doubly necessary now.

“God moves in a mysterious way and faith is needed now more than ever, lr ?:e can put our faith in our Divine Master at a time such as this, then our faith is worth having. The sympathy of tlio whole world is pouring out to you to-day. ‘‘l hope that though your hearts may be sad, as indeed they must be after all you have been through, you will put a bold face on your troubles and that ther?> shall be a smile on your faces.

•*Hod bless you.” His Elxcelency continued with great earnestness, “and bring you that relief which only He can give. We shall do our very best to lieip you.” The service was attended by a large number of the public and was. most touching and fittingly simple. All the Protestant clergy attended and took part.

Mass was celebrated by Hastings Catholics at a temporary altar erected in the grounds of the Catholic school. There was a large congregation. SCORES OF SHAKES AT WAIROA •-RAIN THREATENS DAMAGE WAIROA, Feb. 9. Scores of shakes have been experienced here during the last two days. Several have been very severe, almost as heavy as Tuesday's. Rain is now threatening and further damage to the road? is probable. The “ Wairoa Star” is now publishing full-sided papers as usual.