THE EARTHQUAKE.

Timaru Herald, Volume CVI, Issue 16309, 10 August 1917, Page 8

THE EARTHQUAKE.

DAMAGE IN WAIRARAPA. A report from Masterton in a Wellington paper says the earthquake on Monday was considered the worst for 31 years, eclipsing that of 1904. The greatest damage done was in the country north of Masterton. At Tauoru bedsteads were overturned or hurled into the middle of the room, ond occupants were thrown out. Water tanks were torn away from their settings and overturned. In Mr Rodderkerk's store goods wi;-ro lying everywhere in an almost totally damaged state. Mr Rodderkerk estimates his loss at £2OO. In the Tauoru Hotel nearly every bottle cf liquor was smashed. The licensee estimates his loss at -£3OO. There is not one chimney standing in Taueru. Several houses were 'oarlly damaged hy falling chimneys. The bridge over the Taueru river was severely strained by the shock and is dcclnrod officially to be unsai'a for heavy traffic. Heavy damage was done at Bidoford. Wangnehu. jhuraua. Manriceviilo and East Coast. Nearly every house is suffering. Tn many houses the roofs wore sm.nsh'-vl in by falling chimneys At Toparao a cottage was badlv damaged. At Masterton a thick brick wall between two business premises wa,s smashed, a concrete beam, in another cracked, ; ."iid a number of ora<-ks W'>re made in the brickwork in other buildings. Pome shops were heavy losr-Ts throueh | "oods crashing to thj floor and smash-

A SENSATIONAL EXPERIENCE. IN A SWINGING LIGHTHOUSE. The Lghthousekeeper at (Jajtleuoint had a a extremely aeu.sauoaal experience, ilirouyii trio carenquake, states Uiu '\l.\st, and his narrative goes to shew the seventy of Hie tremor on the East Coast. He said:— ; T was siting reading at about 3."J0 a.m. The iir>t indication of the approaching tremor was a noise like a severe explosion, then came a shaking in earnest. The lighthouse began to swa\ from two to three, fi.ct. from south-west to northeast. The apparatus began to vibrate, and at the sarno time increasing in i-oree, until finally it jumped clean out of its Led and luted towards the sea., splitting and cracking the lenses of the lantern, which. I might add. cost manyhundreds of pounds. The weight of ih\- glass alone is fully two tons, while iho apparatus weighs five or six tons. Imagine this swinging a'.iout 70ft. above s"a level. While this was going on. lhe mercury in which the lens revolves was spilling all over the lighthouse. To add to my tenor on leaving, high rocks hesian to fall into the sea. Tls" signal pole bad subsided from three to (our inches, and the chimnev of the -ianal but v.-si-; r-arried away and rolled down the cliff. On examination, cracks were observed all round the signal station The light was extinguished at the time, and the apparatus has been ■.■ot hack' almost, to normal position, and will b? abb' to run agai'i. though' an expert will have to he obtained re fually adjust it."