Mouuntain Ridge Splits And Fills Up Valley

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 6943, 24 June 1929, Page 7

Mouuntain Ridge Splits And Fills Up Valley

RANGE 4000 FEET HIGH. EVERY MOTOR-CAR IN MURCHISON TURNS OVER. A graphic and interesting story o£ the Murchison disaster was related by Mr. A. D. Baggs, the District Telegraph engineer, and Mr. W. M. B. Veilch, who is to succeed him on his transfer to the Auckland district. Mr. Baggs explained what had happened by stating that just below Murchison, which is situated near tho left bank of tho Buller river, the Matakitaki river joins that stream about eight miles further south, the Maruia flows roughly parallel with the Matakitaki to also join the Buller. Between tho Matakitaki and the Maruia there is a high mountainous ridge running up to a height of from 3000 to 4000 feet, and this ridge appears to have been tho centre of the disturbance, for at tho height of the big earthquake, in response to somo terrific subterranean upheaval, it split in the centre and the northern half fell right across the Matakitaki valley, blocking it completely in at least three places, while the southern side fell across the Maruia valley, practically wiping it out of existence. Simultaneously tho end of the ridge overlooking the Buller river fell into that stream, which it also blocked. The homes of Messrs. Gibson and Holden, which arc engulfed in these landslides, were on the Maruia side, and those of Messrs. Busch and Morel were on the Matakitaki side of the Messrs. Baggs and Veitch stated that Murchison to-day beggars description, as there is not a single house left fit for occupation. It is safe to say that there is not a pane of glass left intact in the whole township. They saw wooden houses which had had the walls turned completely out, and others had been split open. In almost every case verandahs had been wrenched apan. from the main buildings. At the post office the chimney had been thrown right across the roof and into the street without the bricks touching the root. The only brick building in place, an hotel, was a shapeless mass. During the big earthquake, every motor-car in the town was thrown on to its side, and in one case a car was thrown completely upside down. People wero flung off their foot, by the force of the disturbance, and in some cases sustained minor injuries. At the Glcnhope railway sh.cds a locomotive, left with the brakes on, was moved twelve feet.

Huge Cracks in Solid Foundations of Rock

DANGER AT DENNISTON.

FEARED PART OF TOWN WILL BLIP OVER CLIFF.

A Lyttelton Times reporter who was the first person from outside Me'stport to get through to Denniston mine since the big 'quake says the damago seen there exceeds anything elso noticed in the vicinity of Westport. Huge cracks two and three feet wide have appeared iu the solid rock on which tho town stands. At what is known as the brakehead a huge mass of rock has fallen down against the engine house, tho wiholo cliff being held up by a bnca chimney, which will probably come down in the first heavy rain. A few yards from the top of the incline a largo slip has filled the cutting with huge slabs of rock, and althougn the miners are busy trying to clear it that job alone will probably take some weeks. A boardinghouse which stood, on tnc solid rock was jolted off tho piles and now is a complete wreck. Hugo cracks havo appeared in the rock under several houses, the main crack being three or four chains in length. The miners and their families arc frightened that if heavy rain gets into these cracks tho whole of that portion of the town will slip over the cliff dropping a thousand feet into tho valley below. A peculiar thing is that only in certain sections were brick chimneys broken. It is conjectured that the various formations of rock accounted for this.

Further Subscription To Palmerston Fund

BY O. M .ROSS COY. LTD.

Two cheques were forwarded on Saturday by the C. M. Ross Co., Ltd., of Palmerston North, to the Mayor, accompanied by the following letter: "Herewith wc tender you two cheques:— ‘ ‘ (a) £25, to be applied to the relief of immediate distress occasioned by the recent earthquake. "“(b) £ls, as a subscription to tho local unemployment fund. "In regard to the first-named we understand you arc opening a local fund to bo supported by voluntary subscriptions, and ask your acceptance of this sum as an expression of our desire for tbc amelioration of conditions in the afflicted territory. Later news may demonstrate the desirabiLity of supplementing the present donation, as the happening can only be regarded as a national catastrophe." This follows the funds amounting to £2O subscribed last evening by the showmen, and the donation of £lO offered by the Citizens’ Lunch club, making £55 so far available. The Mayor is obtaining information concerning the need for relief in tlie stricken areas. WELLINGTON DONATIONS. WELLINGTON, June 22. Contributions to the relief fund include: —Messrs Bing Harris, and Coy., Ltd., £100; Leyland Motors, £100; Cadbury and Frys, 50 guineas.