DAMAGE AT PALMERSTON

Taranaki Daily News, 7 March 1934, Page 9

DAMAGE AT PALMERSTON

SUDDEN ALARM OF PEOPLE SOME WALLS IN SHOPS COLLAPSE. STOCKS SUFFER CONSIDERABLY. By Telegraph—Press Association. , . > Palmerston N.» March 6. The most severe and violent earthquake the Palmerston North district has experienced for at least 30. years occurred 12 minutes before midnight last evening,- preceded by a rumbling noise as of advancing waves. . The period of intensity came with alarming suddenness, causing a violent rocking, -awakening-all but very few of the hardiest sleepers, and causing swift alarm as movable . articles were swung from their "stands to be. broken on the floor. The Square was crowded with people and motor-cars, and people besieged the post office and newspaper office.. . .. , . ■ .. Fortunately the period of intensity was not more than 15 to 20 seconds, but the earthquake itself lasted fully a minute, the heaving of the ground not subsiding for two more minutes. In homes and other places where chimneys were not able to withstand the stress of.the . there . was fear of greater Ramage as. bricks came tumbling down, some on to the roof tops and others on to the ground. Within the briefest space many people had sought refuge 'of the streets, and another tremor about midnight again stirred unpleasant recollections. Thereafter there was - a period of quiet, but the ■ night was inclined to be stormy, with drizzling rain.' .• • - • . • ••• ■_ Tremors occurred during the remainder of the night- at varying intervals, one about 4.30 and another at 5.30 being sharp jolts. The most fortunate occurrence was that the main shock was one of violent oscillation, and there was no upthrust. This accounts for only minor damage in the main-being recorded. - All ■ modem . buildings withstood the shock well. The story throughout the countryside is mostly one of fallen chimneys, which through age sin almost every case were unable to Withstand the stress. In several instances plateglass windows in city business premises were shattered. Parapet tops and wing walls also collapsed, in one instance wrecking the comer of a shop. There were no fatalities and no reports of accidents. The Manawatu Gorge railway is out of alignment but trains are running slowly. The Wairarapa line is blocked: BLOW HOLES ON FLATS e experiences at foxton. SUBSIDENCE NEAR WHARVES. Foxton, March 6. The most severe earthquake in the history of Foxton occurred at 11.48 last night. Considerable damage .was done to b<n isp chimneys and contents, but no injuries are reported. The business area was strewn with glass from plate windows, hardly a shop escaping damage. The town hall 'was seriously damaged, the top of the back brick wall being cracked and crumpled. Railway lines were twisted and rails were snapped in several places on the wharf, where a subsidence occurred, leaving the rails in the air in places. The goods shed dropped, about a foot on the west side and a crack occurred along the wharf frontage at the beach. Blow holes occurred on the river flat, where debris was blown out. The flat is now unsafe for traffic. One car was bogged and campers had an unenviable experience. Water swept up the old river flat within a few seconds, forcing them to seek refuge on the sand hills, where they spent the night. Foxton houses are not greatly damaged but the occupants had a terrifying experience. The Whereokino bridge, on the Wellington-Auckland mam highway, is unsafe for heavy traffic. The approaches to the Shannon bridge on the Foxton-Shannon highway were raised six inches, but the bridge is safe for traffic. The weather at present is boisterous.

URGENT NEED FOR ASSISTANCE.

APPEAL MADE TO GOVERNMENT.

Pahiatua, Last Night. The mayor of Pahiatua has forwarded a mLage to the Prime Minister and +he Hon.' E. A. -Ransom that funds are urgently required for utilising labour in salvaging earthquake damaged chimneys and premises. The Farmers’ Union this afternoon resolved unanimously that strong representations should be made to the Government regarding the vital necelity for the Public Works Department taking. control of the reconstruction of chimneys and suggesting that owing to the magnitude of the disaster each home so damaged should be provided with one chimney and-the restoration of its water service. x