PROGRESS AT HASTINGS

Hawera Star, Volume L, 17 February 1931, Page 5

PROGRESS AT HASTINGS

FIRE IN RESIDENTIAL AREA PREMIER’S GOODWILL MESSAGE PAPER RESUMES PUBLISHING. i ii>y Xelegrapu—cress Association.) HASTINGS, Feb. 10. - li lias been agreed that refugees desiring to return to Hastings must '«!)- piv lor permits to tlie registration oincer, Hastings, who will issue a permit, which on production at a railway station will be exchanged for a lice railway ticket. -'<> liaoility wilt be accepted by tbe authorities for anyone making private arrnagements for return by any other means. The • ‘Hawke’s Bay Tribune,” which since the first day after the earthquake till Saturday last carried on a free news service by the publication of a daily news sheet, began repubiication this afternoon at its former premises, which have been temporarily reconditioned. Though the building was badly damaged, the machinery escaped comparatively lightly.

The Prime Minister, Hon. G. W. | Forbes, in a message of good wishes and congratulations, says: “The Government is indeed grateful to all those who played such a substantial part in meeting the position under such stressful conditions. Now that special committees representative of various local interests ba\;e been set up, the great work of bringing the district back to a normal state will he resolutely tackled. This work will be greatly assisted by the inhabitants, whose natural pride in their town will ensure their fullest support and cooperation. ’ ’ There were no further earthquakes in the Hastings district to-day or last night, excepting one or two extremely light tremors. The weather is fine and cool.

Considerable alarm was caused among people in a section of the residential part of Hastings when it was discovered at 4 o’clock on Sunday morning that an empty house, belonging to Air Brinson, was on fire. The smoke was smelt by the occupants of a neighbouring house, who immediately woke the people in the streets. As no ’phones are working and the automatic fire alarm is out of order it was feared that before the brigade could be summoned the whole street might catch.

The brigade was notified by a man, who drove into town in car, and on arriving it promptly set the residents’ fears at rest by doing rapid work in extinguishing the blaze, which completely gutted the dwelling. It is thought that the fire might have been caused by fused wires, as. the power was switched on in the neighbourhood yesterday. Captain Hugo, inspector of fire brigades, who arrived in Hastings a few hours after the first of the two ’quakes on February 3, referring to the work 1 carried out by the local brigade in 36 hours of ceaseless duty, says in a congratulatory message to Superintendent R. Henderson: “As an eye-witness of some parts of the operations of the Hastings Fire Brigade during the progress of the late disastrous fire. I wish to congratulate yourself, and all the other members of the brigade on the courage displayed and upon the practical and efficient manner in which the work of subduing many of the outbreaks was carried out. I hope that all the personnel of your brigade are now completely recovered after the effects of their dangerous and severely trying duties so well performed.”

NAPIER, OBSERVES -SUNDAY

TREMORS STILL CONTINUE. NAPIER, Feb. 16. The weather continued fine to-day and the sea calm. A number of slight tremors was felt during the day. Sunday was observed as a- day of rest in Napier, all work on the ruined area being (suspended by the workers, who obtained the necessary permits to spend the week-end out of the devastated district, but the refugee camp was still well populated. Simple church services were held,. The district suffered numerous minor ’quakes varying in intensity. An outbreak of lire at midnight last night completely destroyed the store of E. Perry at Taradale, in the owner’s absence, and threatened to ruin the hotel and post office. Excellent work of a bucket brigade saved the situation.

NAPIER DEAD TOTAL 144

FOUR MORE BODIES IDENTIFIED

NAPIER, Feb. 16

Four more identifications of human remains have been made by the police. A body found in the boot shop of F. Thorpe and Co., Hastings Street, hasi been identified as that of Thomas Attiinson. aged 37, bootmaker and re-pair-er for Lire firm. -Aft k inson 'vas a married man with four children. Property found with remains recovered near Haynes’ butchery in Hastings Street has led the police to identify the bod|y as that of Miss Cecily Theresa Redwood, aged 22, of Cobden Road, Napier. Paper, ashes and scraps found in a handbag alongside two female bodies recovered from the footpath in front of McGruer’s, Ltd., in Emerson Street contained one piece bearing a number, which proved to be that of a Post Office Savings Bank account. This has led to the conclusion that the two bodies were those of Misses Ruth and Jane Bryson, two elderly ladies of Scaly Road, Napier, who were known to have been in the locality at the time of the earthquake. Revision of the total list of dead brings the number to 119 identified and 25 unidentified, making 144 altogether. The total was previously given at 140, but it was found that one name had been duplicated.

EMERGENCY OPERATIONS

ORGANISATION AT HASTINGS. WELLINGTON, Feb. 16. The chairman of the Hawke’s Bay Hospital Board (Mr. C. O Morse) requests the publication of the following report by Dr. C. Roumame Wright, superintendent of the Hastings emergenev hospital: “Owing to erroneous reports circulated regarding the manner in which operations were performed there, I have been requested to report shortly on the Hastings emergency hospital s doings on tli© day of the earthquake, Tuesday, February 3, 1931. “As a start I should like to emphasise the fact that the prompt and efficient measures taken would have been absolutelv impossible hut for the fact that the matron (Sister Williams) and staff of the Royston Hospital were all ready and organised as a complete working unit at the time of the earthquake, and were not disorganised in any way immediately thereafter. Their whole staff and equipment were utilised

as> a nucleus around which the Hastings emergency hospital came into being. The fact that Royston Hospital was a- well-known private hospital and adjacent to the site of the damage resulted in all the casualties being at once taken there. Within half-an-hour the large lawn adjoining the hospital was filled with patients to the number of approximately 100.. Each patient requiring it was on arrival immediately given morphia. “Sister Williams and the medical men who were at Royston at the time at once realised that some place would have to be found to accommodate and deal with all the casualties. One of these doctors and Mr. H. V. Hoadley made a hurried visit to the tea kiosk at the Hastings racecourse, which was judged to be undamaged, and orders, were immediately given for ail further cases to be transferred there. Owing to the number of voluntary lorry drivers who had also congregated at the Royston gates this was possible without delay. Within two hours of the earthquake every cot case lying on the Royston lawn had been transferred to the racecourse, complete with bed and bedding. “At 1.30 p.m. operations were commenced in an emergeny theatre in the ladies’ cloak room at the tea kiosk. Sixty-six operations were performed between 1.30 and approximately 10 p.m. Each case had full surgical anaesthesia, and in not one of these cases was anything! except sterile dressing .used. After all the casualties had been dealt with an urgent major abdominal operation was performed, and again sterile dressing and instruments were available. This wais rendered 'possible only by the amazingly efficient organisation of Royston in general, and in particular their treatre staff under the charge of Sister Copper. To fully appreciate this achievement one needs to be a medical map. ! “While the behaviour of everyone was beyond praise, I desire to stress most strongly the fact that the Royston Hospital staff and organisation were the salvation of Hastings. “Turning from the medical and sur-o-ical side of the situation .1 should Tike to express the thanks of the committee to those voluntary workers who appeared as if by magic and took charge of the various departments incidental to the hospital. Particularlj I desire to stress the value to us of the voluntary cooks who, without facilities, gave us an ample supply of boiling water, immediately provided u& with cups of tea and soup during the day, and capped their efforts _ with a. wonderful hot dinner at night.”

PROGRESS OF PATIENTS. PALMERSTON N. ADMISSIONS. PALMERSTON N.. Feb. 16. The following earthquake cases were admitted to hospital during the weekend : Mrs Jennie Arnold, Napier. Mrs Margaret Beamish, Hospital, Hastings. Mrs Marv Davis, Racecourse Hospital,'Hastings. Miiss Hoata Abbie, Racecourse Hospital. Hasting*. Airs Cecilia Pattle, 164 McGrath Street, Napier. Harry Taylor, Showgrounds, Palmerston North. ' Airs Edith Woods, Field Hospital, Napier. AY. George Wood, Racecourse Hospital, Hastings. The following were discharged: David Davis, 83 Wnghorne Street, Napier. Albert Stock.