A SHARP EARTHQUAKE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19217, 5 January 1926, Page 8

A SHARP EARTHQUAKE.

ALARM IN WELLINGTON. NO MATERIAL DAMAGE. THE POST OFFICE SHAKEN. SOME GIRLS IN SHOPS FAINT. [BY TELEGRAPH. OWN CORRESPONDENT. ] WELLINGTON. Monday. A shajp shock of earthquake was experienced in tho city at 3.32 o'clock today. Although of brief duration tho shock, which was in two sections closely following one another, was of a violent nature and caused considerable alarm. Tho shock started with a violent vertical jerk which turned into a horizontal motion and then died down to be followed almost immediately by a more violent upward heave # of (he earth and heavy oscillations which appeared to be from north to south. These lasted for a few seconds and died away in gentle tremors. ~ The shake was a severe one which set the chimes in the clock at the general i post office sounding and caused a great commotion among the birds in the city, which voiced their protest in startled ejaculations. The earthquake was most severely felt in buildings upon reclaimed land and the higher the building the more severely was the shake experienced. Plaster fell from the roofs in a good many public buildings and warehouses and in not a few instances women fainted. On the third floor of Messrs E. W. Mills and Company's hardware warehouse a quantity of ironmongery and books fell from the shelves. Inside the Post Office. A number of people were inside the main post office building when it commenced to vibrate heavily. The trembling lasted five or six seconds and thosp near the entrance made a hurried exit to the street. Those further in realised that it was futile to retreat and stood awaiting J developments. The vibration ceased momentarily and then tlTe floor rose as though the whole structure had passed over a wave. The building rumbled and shuddered, while astonished men and women looked at each other in dismay. The big movement ceased immediately and smiling faces on all sides gave evidence of relietf at the passing of an unpleasant ordeal.

The general public in the post office did not linger long inside the building but joined the crowd in the street which scanned the front of the structure in search of evidence of exterior damage which, however, had not resulted. Swaying of the Wharves. Some chimneys of dwellings in the area between Cambridge Terrace and Taranaki Street were thrown down and others sustained damage. . The swaying of the wharves on the waterfront was very noticeable and the sheds were vacated hurriedly by those occupied within them. A horse attached to a four-wheeled vehicle standing on the Queen's Wharf was startled and bolted, but was secared before causing any damage. In many of the large city shops several of the female employees fainted and there was almost a panic in one leading departmental store. Dr. C. E. Adams, Government astronomer, stated that he was outside the observatory at 3.33 o'clock and felt the shock quite distinctly but no visible damage was done. Two pendulums at the observatory, one facing north and the other south-east, were set oscillating. A NARROW ESCAPE, CHIMNEY BROUGHT DOWN. DETECTIVES NEARLY STRUCK. [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT. 3 WELLINGTON, Monday. Two detectives had a narrow escape in Tory Street this afternoon, when a chimney fell during the earthquake and came crashing at their feet. Detectives Murray and Thear were walking past at the time, but momentarily stopped as the earth began to shake round them. The next thing they knew was a loud crash, as bricks and mortar came tumbling down on to the footpath in front of them.

FELT IN OTHER CENTRES. NOT A SEVERE SHAKE. RECORDED IN SOUTH ISLAND. [BY TELEGRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION.] TAUMARUNTJI, Monday. Between 3.15 acnd 3.35 p.m. to-day three distinct but slight shocks of earthquake were experienced in Taumarunui. None of the shocks was strong enough to have been felt in the streets or in buildings where people were moving about, but in residences a steady creaking of timbers for two or three seconds on each occasion was experienced. WANGANUI. Monday. A long but mild shock of earthquake was experienced here at about 3.30 p.m.' The tremors lasted for fully a minute. GREYMOUTH, Monday; A sharp earthquake shock was experienced at 3.35 p.m. to-day. CHRISTCHURCH. Monday. A very slight shock of earthquake was felt by a few people in Christchurch this afternoon. Most city people were unaware of it, but at Sumner the residents felt it more distinctly.