FELT AT WELLINGTON.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18787, 17 June 1929, Page 10

FELT AT WELLINGTON.

WOMEN FAINT AND PEOPLE RUN OUTSIDE. Per Press Association. WELLINGTON. June 1/. Shortly alter ten o'clock a prolonged e&rthqu&ko shock was experienced in Wellington, the whole town being rocked. Women screamed and fainted and everywhere people ran out of buildings and home*. Some buildings were cracked and clocks stopped, but, so far as has yet been ascertained, no serious damage occurred. Many telephones have been put out of commission by the earthquake. The post office clock stopped and bells rang. The time was nineteen minutes past ten.

A few minutes later a huge crowd gathered in Featherston Street, gazing up at the top of the National Bank building, and this crowd continued to increase till it numbered thousands. The question appears to be whether the top of the building has gone out of alignment or whether it was always as it now appears. A big crowd also assembled outside a high building in Manners Street, under the impression, apparently, that it also had gone out of alignment. The instruments at the Kelburn Observatorv were thrown out of action by the earthquake, and clocks were stopped. No record of the shock can be obtained at present. KEEN WATCH KEPT ON BIG BUILDINGS. (Special to the “ Star.’ ) WELLINGTON, June 17. Wellington experienced an exceptional earthquake at 10.19 to-day. Though lasting nearly a minute, the shocks were rolling, and there was an absence of violent jolts, otherwise serious damage must have occurred, as it was possible to see buildings and telegraph posts swaying. There were mild shocks at intervals during the next hour. So far no serious damage is reported. Parliament Buildings escaped unscathed, though their occupants admit the experience was terrifying, the massive building swaying, to the accompaniment of a grinding noise. One wellstaffed Government department at the northern end was quickly evacuated, but as the shocks were not so noticeable in, the open the employees returned, onlv to make for the lawn again when the tremors died down. \\ ork was resumed, but another shock caused a third break for the sunshine. In the main Government building the huge wood structure swayed noisily, but the only damage was the falling of several pounds’ weight of plaster from, the top floor ceiling. Special interest is being taken in two new citv skvserapers. the eight-storeved T. and G. offices, and the seven-storev-ed National Bank building which adjoins. Hundreds of people were to be seen running an eye along the sides of the tall buildings, making geometrical comparisons, which were handicapped by cornices of varying width. However, the crowd was satisfied that the National Bank had sagged to the south about twelve inches, though actual proof is not available, and the building is absolutely intact. The spectacle will probably turn out to be an optical illusion. The Nelson postmaster reports that the earthquake started at 10.17. At Wellington the Parliament Buildings clocks stopped at 10.18 i, and the Napier postmaster reported a prolonged shake starting at 10.20. These official timings show that the centre of the disurbance was in the South Island. The telegraphic system in the North Island was not interrupted, but only one faulty circuit is available to Christchurch, and there is no communication with the West Coast of the South Island.

STOCK IN SHOPS THROWN FROM SHELVES. Per Press Association. BLENHEIM. June 17. This morning a slight earthquake at 7.30 was followed at 10.18 by the most severe shock in the history of Marlborough. It was very violent and lasted fully a minute. At 10.30 another small shake was experienced. Numerous chimneys are down. At Dr Bennett’s residence in Maxwell Road a high chimney fell through the Marseilles tiled roof on both sides of the ridge. Plate glass windows in Dix s garage, Carr’s shop and M. M’Kenzie’s shop were broken. A high brick wall adjoining the Friendly Societies’ Dispensary fell through the skylight of the dispensarv, doing considerable damage in the shop. , Two bij* chimney stacks at the Mai 1borough brewery were demolished by the shake. Horses attached to a lorry bolted through the centre of the town. A bystander jumped on the lorry and, assisted the driver to pull them up. Chemists, grocers, hotels, and crockery shops suffered severely through goods being thrown off shelves. As illustrating the severity of the shake a large pot full of molten Type metal in the “Express” office was so severely shaken that the contents were splashed over the floor. timaru escapes WITHOUT DAMAGE. (Special to the “Star”) TIMARU, June 17. A ’quake shook Timaru at 10.18 this morning. No damage was done. The ’quake was not a sharp one, but came in the form of a gentle swaying. The clock in the Timaru Post Office was stopped by the, shake. CHIMNEYS DAMAGED AT HANMER SPRINGS* (Special to the “ Star.”) lIANMER SPRINGS, June 17. A violent shock of earthquake lasting about one minute occurred at 10.18 a.m. to-day. Damage to many chimneys is reported. TERRIFYING TIME IS MASTERTON VERDICT. (Special to the “Star.”) MASTERTON, June 17. Masterton had a most thrilling and. uncanny experience this morning at 10.18, when the earthquake commenced to be felt. It was a gentle swaying motion. Buildings swayed dangerously, and soon shops and offices were emptied. It was like the sensation of the gentle rolling of a steamer at sea. People stood spellbound, wondering what was going to happen next. For two mintxtes the swaying motion continued, gradually fading away. It was a terrifying experience that will long be remembered. It is the longest shake ever known in Masterton.