Courageous People

Horowhenua Chronicle, 23 May 1933, Page 8

Courageous People

REBUILDING OF NAPIER ARCHBISHOP’S TRIBUTE NAPIER, Last Night. Speaking at the opening of the new chapel at St. Mary’s yesterday, Archbishop O’Shea paid a tribute to the courage and fortitude of the Napier people in the reconstruction, of the town after the earthquake. “A little over two years ago, ” he said, “you were all involved in a terrible loss of life and property caused by the earthquake. That disaster brought all classes and all sections of the community- together, and, although we can never bring back the valuable lives sacrificed in the calamity, a splendid spirit has been created, due, no doubt, to the sacrifices made and the splendid response of the people in the emergency. In spite of the worldwide depression, your city, rising from the ruins, will be far more beautiful than before t]ie destruction. The wonderful progress made speaks volumes for the determination of l the people. I am quite certain that in a few years’ time the restoration of the material loss will be complete, and all trace of the great disaster will be entirely obliterated. '

“It was my good fortune to visit San Francisco nine years after it was destroyed by earthquake, and by, that time it had lost all signs of the calamity. A new and a far more beautiful city had arisen from the ruins. The signs are that this will be the case with Napier, even before nine years have elapsed, and that the people of Napier will show the same courage, determination and fortitude as the people of San Francisco. ”