The Daily News. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 1901. THE EARTHQUAKE IN THE SOUTH ISLAND.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXIII, Issue 274, 21 November 1901, Page 2

The Daily News. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 1901. THE EARTHQUAKE IN THE SOUTH ISLAND.

The settlers at Cheviot, in the South Island, will have the sincere sympathy of the people throughout the colony on account of the remarkable seismic visitation that has lately overtaken them. After overcoming tha difficulties of pioneer settlement in a comparatively isolated district—many of them beginning to look forward to a life of ease and freedom from arduous toil—it i« extremely hard for them to see their homes wrecked and the fruits of their labours destroyed, as it were, |in a moment by such an unexpected visitation. We cannot help expressing a feeling of thankfulness that Sir John McKenzie was spared the pain euch devastation would have caused him, and we are glad to see that the Government is acting promptly in doing all that can be done to assist in minimising the loss and inconvenience caused to the sufferers. What has happened is a direct visitation of God, and the State should, as far as human power can, i endeavour to place the Cheviot settlers in the same position as before the disaster. During the past year the colony has spent money very freely ! in various holiday celebrations, and the year has been an extremely prosperous one. The colony should, therefore, show its willingness to spend money as freely to relieve distress as for pleasure. We have no doubt but this will be done, and that the monetary loss will be made good without delay. There are losses such as the mental suffering and nervous shock, and the destruction of manv articles surrounded by old associations, which cannot be repaired or replaced. To heal these wounds we m«st trust to time as well as to the sincere practical sympathy of the whole people of the colony. Considering the magnitude of the disaster, it is extremely gratifying that the loss of life has, so far as is known, been very small, and a feeling of thankfulness will no doubt pervade the colony that such is the case. In many cases the escapes were almost miraculous, and the disaster would have been muoh more terrible if accompanied with the loss of life which so often results from such visitations.