HARROWING SCENES

Stratford Evening Post, Volume I, Issue 60, 6 February 1931, Page 5

HARROWING SCENES

TERRIBLE POSITION IN NAPIER £3,500,000 SECURITIES LOST MANY PEOPLE TURN GREY UNDER THE STRESS WELLINGTON, This Day. The Press Association agent at Napier says that after a night of wind and rain and scores of shakes, three of them heavy, the weather is again fine. The search continues throughout the road over a mile long. frora Coote Road to Battery Road, under the debris in some cases, 30 yards deep, reaching to the sea. The number of people under this cannot be guessed. Many men and women are turning grey. All are. in a state of anguish, many fearing they have only been spared for a worse fate, in the form of disease. * One office alone lost securities covering £3,500,000 in money. Sanitary arrangements are not yet enforced, but the work is in progress. Work has been hindered to a degree by visitors. Very few are living in houses* and many are camped in all available open spaces, including the cemetery. The fires are all completely out. Meat and bread is being distributed ! and no one will starve. In some quarters unwashed men and women, pitiful wrecks, are standing at most places where the wrecking parties are at work. The smallest lighters cannot enter the harbour, and the H.M.S.

DEATHS IN NAPIER MAY NOT EXCEED 100 The special Napier Press Association agent states it is hoped that deaths in Napier will not exceed 100.

Veronica is imprisoned at the wharf. The Dunedin and Diomede are anchored several miles out from the usual anchorage. Other boats are still further out to sea. On some roads cars have completely disappeared in rents in the roads. The appearance of aeroplanes over the town seemed to create a feeling of confidence. The only building left im the commercial area is being used as a printing office of the combined papers, which issue a morning and evening sheet of instructions and a list of the dead and injured. The burial of the dead is taking place this afternoon. The stench in some places is awful. Almost every third person is wearing a bandage of some sort.

FURTHER HASTINGS DEAD MANY POSTED MISSING Press Association. —Copyright. HASTINGS, This Day. An additional official list of the dead is:--. Mrs. Emma Clara Cockerill, Heretaunga Street, Hastings; William Bartle, Lascelles Street, Hastings. Died of Injuries;—Thomas Cook, employed by Thier, butcher, Hastings; Mrs. Horseley, widow, Southampton Street, Hastings. The last-named was to have been married next week. The following are officially missing:—Mrs. A. C. Ellis, supposed to be in or about the Cosy Theatre; Mrs, Sarah Barrett, aged 56, Waghorne Street, Napier; Eric Bader, aged 15, scalded at Tomoana Works, supposed to be attended by Dr. Bathgate at the time and not seen since. His mother’s address is Nelson Street, South Hastings. WELLINGTON VOTES £2,000 " ’ j CITY COUNCIL’S ACTION WELLINGTON, This Day. The Wellington City Council voted £2,000 to the earthquake fund at its meeting. Citizens have formed a relief committee and decided to convey to the Prime Minister that in its opinion offers of relief from outside countries should be gladly accepted. RACE MEETINGS ABANDONED GISBORNE AND POVERTY BAY . WELLINGTON. This Day. The secretary of the New Zealand Racing Conference has been informed by the presidents of the Gisborne Racing Club and the Poverty Bay Turf Club that because of the conditions caused by the earthquake, the clubs had decided to abandon 'their summer meetings. They will a!pply for dates latex-.