LAND CREEP.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVI, Issue 176, 26 June 1926, Page 10

LAND CREEP.

HOUSES BADLY DAMAGED. FOOTPATHS SINK. NEWCASTLE, A serious creep occurred in Elliottstreet, Hamilton South, this morning. Two houses were severely damaged. The footpaths and ono side of the street sank several inches. Mrs Leo. Walmsley, who occupies one of the damaged houses, said that the creep had been taking place ever since the creep at Merewether, some months ago. , Last night and early this morning she heard plaster falling from the walls. About 9 a.m. to-day her little boy, who was outside the house, rushed in and said the footpath was sinking. She went out, and found that the gutter had sunk several inches. Every room in Mrs Walmsley’s houso is affected by the creep. Some of the cracks are one and. two inches wide. The houso seems to have moved forward, and there is a gap of about an inch between the house and the back step, while the front of the house overlaps the front steps. Mrs Nell Norden, who occupies the other house, said that early tins morning she heard a sound like the creaking of new timber. Plaster began to fall in small pieces. The creep caused a crowd to gather. Some of those present said they had felt the creep for some weeks, and they had increased following the reported creeps in Ridge, Caldwell, and Hall streets. Inspector Thomson, of the Department of Mines, inspected the houses affected this afternoon. He will submit a report to the Minister for Mines (Mr Baddeley).