EARTHQUAKE SHOCKS.

New Zealand Times, Volume LVI, Issue 2212, 22 May 1894, Page 3

EARTHQUAKE SHOCKS.

Two sharp shocks of earthquake were felt in Wellington yesterday—the first at 4.37 a.m. and the second at 9.43 a.m.- The earlier one did not cause ranch commotion, ns most people were in bed at the time, but a good deal of alarm was caused by the later shako. It lasted at least six seconds, and the oarthwave travelled in a direction from north to south. It was preceded by a loud rumbling, followed by two severe shocks, one coming immediately after the other.

There wore small cracks made in some of the brick buildings in the city, and most of the larger buildings swayed visibly, greatly to the consternation of the inmates. Door bells were sot ringing, in some places articles wore shaken off shelves, and much terror was caused amongst the children attending the various public schools. The tower in course of construction at the Government Life Insurance Buildings shook very considerably, and a man who was at work upon it at the time had to lie down to escape being thrown off. Much commotion was caused' amongst the assistants at the D. 1.0. premises, especially among those working on the top story. Some of the women became hysterical, one or two of those downstairs made a rush for the street, and one man who was on a ladder had to grasp the wall to prevent himself falling. One of the chimneys at the Albert Hotel suffered some injury, and two or three chimneys were damaged at Karori and elsewhere.

There was a great deal of commotion in the Government Buildings, and many excited Civil servants working on the top floor made a rush for the open air. One gentleman was so overcome that he ran pell moll from the top floor of the building and out into the street for some distance. The occupants of a tramcar which happened to bo standing outside the Opera House wore so alarmed by the oscillation of the building that several of them made a precipitate start for a more open space, and there was a good deal of screaming from the women passengers. Our Masterton correspondent writes: —A sharp shock of earthquake was experienced hero about 8 o’clock yesterday morning, and another at 9.40 a.m. to-day. The vibrations on both occasions were apparently from north to south. Travellers by the morning train from Wellington felt the shock whilst waiting at the Summit.

Telegrams state that the shocks were felt at Woodville, Marton, Kaitoke, Greytdhm, Wanganui, Hawera, New Plymouth, fflenheim, Nelson, Christchurch and elsewhere. There was no sign of the earthquake at Eotorua. THE OPEBA HOUSE. The custodian of the Opera House (Mr G. E. Coulson) has sent the following letter to Mr W. McLean, secretary of the Opera House Company: by the papers of to-day's issue that a crack had been caused in the back wall of the Opera House by the earthquakes of to-day, I respectfully beg to report, that such is not the case. I was working in the Opera House at about 4.30 a.m., when the first shock took place, and at daylight I examined the building, and found that everything was all right. When the shook took place about 9.40 I was on the stage, and on examination I found that the only damage done was the breaking of one lamp globe in the social hall. I have examined the building since, and wo have not even had the smallest particle of plaster down or anything to indicate that an earthquake had taken place. The crack on the back of the building was caused by the last fire.” THE FREE LIBRARY. The damage done ,to the Public Library consists principally of the opening up of the cracks which were made apparent some time since on the lauding near the reference department, and which were plastered over. The matter was considered at the meeting of the Public Works Committee last night, when it was resolved to instruct Messrs W. C. Chatfield and T. Turnbull, architects, to furnish a report upon the present condition of the Library building, and to recommend what steps should bo taken with a view of securing its stability. ■■