THE EARTHQUAKE AT DUNDIN.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 13, Issue 1065, 13 July 1869, Page 2

THE EARTHQUAKE AT DUNDIN.

v, , (Fj^tthe "Ofcago Daily Times," Jane 25.) One "of the smartest shocks of earthquake experienced in Dunedin. for some time past was felt yesterday morning, at twenty minutes pas.fefeleveaio^olook^in^anj^p^rfcs of the city. Eegardjng Ahe 1 direction, -of the motion, several differences-, of. opinion seem, to^.exist;^ma_ny o pers.ons t ,ji : ss£riijag that its course was from spusi-west to north-east, but the majority agreeing that it was from west to: east. The low, heavy noise which preceded ifc was .distinctly heard for several seconds. The vibration appears lo have been niost severe in tho Eesident Magistrate's. Court, atf the Provincial Government Buildings, and- in-the Provincial Hotel. In the Eesident {Magistrate's Court, three distinct vibrations were felt, the last being the most severe. The business of the Court was temporarily suspended, and a number ,, of persons, anxious no doubt, to ascertain the results of the shock, immediately left the building, The oscillatory motion also caused ajittlp confusion in the Government Buildings, where, in some departments, the direction of the wave appeared to be from S.W. to N.E . It was more distinctly felt by those gentlemen who occupy the rooms in the upper .story, tho bells in some parts pf the building were observed to shake, 'and many of the officials left their rooms in order tolearn the results. The clock bell at the new post-office tolled distinctly. Mr.. Court, of the Provincial Hotel, ; we are informed, was sitting in his office at the time, and distinctly .felt the ; sb#ck. Simultaneously, &„ gasaJier in ' tlue - apartment commenced to swing, and an arm chair was removed several feet from. the wall. The chair in which. Mr. Court .was sitting, notwithstanding its load, actually quivered, and came in contact with (the other chair which had. travelled from ..the wall. In fact, so violent was, the oscillation that its occupant .was under the impression that some person, was amusing himself at his expense, and he actually | began to remonstrate in forcible terms with the supposed intruder. Several gentlemen who were lodging at the hotel also felt the vibration, and it is. said that one of the beds, much to the surprise and alarm of its occupant, was removed several feet from its original position ; also that the framework of a scene on which the scenic artist was engaged suddenly commenced to swing like the pendulum of a clock, and that this occurrence somewhat marred the effect of tlie artiste labors. The vibration was also felt at . the establishment of Mri Yates, draperj Georgestreet. Here in fact, the shock appears to have been particularly severe — acounter in the shop was removed, the building shook violently, and thegasaliersswung forseveral minutes. At one establishment it is even said that one of the clerks was, with the violence of the shock, thrown from a stool on which he wassitting.andseveralof theother employes ran into the street. The movement as well as the rumbling noise, was also felt at the Supreme Court. It was remarked upon by his Honor Mr. Justice Ward, Mr. J. Macassey, and several other gentlemen present. In the building occupied by Messrs. Mills, Dick & Co., Stafford street, the vibration was very great; likewise in Messrs. M'Callum, Neill, and Co.'s warehouse, and at the Telegraph office, where the wires were seen to quiyer violently. In the Bank of Australasia a portion of the ceiling was disturbed. It/was reported that the walls of the new brick stables in the Octagon had been injured; and that at Mr. K eid's establishment in Eattray-street, the wall of the shop was damaged. In various ; other,. parts of z the city the undulating motion was T/bxperienced, but no accident appears to have occurred. = Some of the inhabitants of Port Chalmers, like a few of our citizens, appear to have been greatly alarmed by the occurrence Many persons there speak of 1 the shock as being the most severethey ever experienced. Several of the houses were shaken, windows rattled violently, and the bottles and jars in some of the shpps and stores were started from their places. About 50 tons of shells for concrete for the Graving Dock, which were" oh an anglo of 60 degrees, were set in motion by the concussion, and rolled down the hill side. The men at work underneath got clear in time. The wave seemed to come from the • north-east. The weather was quite calm atthetimeof the occurrence. The barometer stood at 30.15., and the thermometer at 52.30. ; one barometer on gimbals was observed to oscillate- at least 15 degs. . , . The following telegrams are published by tho Otago Daily. Times, of the 25tU inst : — . . Queens town,. Juno 24 Two severe shocks of earthquako were felt hero at 11 o'clock this morning. The Lake was greatly disturbed. The Masonic Hall, a substantial stone building, was injured, and many things were thrown down from shelves. Bluff, June 24 A smart shock of earthquako was fell; here at 11.20 this morning. f Oainaru, June 24 A slight shock of earthquako was felt here this morning at twenty-one minutes past 11 o'clock. Timaru, June 24. A shock of earthquake was very distinctly felt here at 20 minutes past 11 this morning. It was not accompanied by any sound, and lasted for about two seconds. Hokitika, June 24 A smart shock of earthquake was felt here at 11.23 a.m. A "to-day. Its duration was about five seconds, and the direction of the wave appeared to'be from east. to west. No damage was done..