THE CHEVIOT DISTURBANCES.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 10502, 25 November 1901, Page 3

THE CHEVIOT DISTURBANCES.

Further Shocks on Saturday and Yesterday* (Per United Press Association.) WELLINGTON, November 25. The Telegraph Department has beet advised of two shocks of earthquake ai Cheviot on Saturday evening, and three others before daylight yesterday morn' ing, the last being at 4.50, since whicl all was quiet up to the hour of advice at 8 a.m. to-day.' The Position at Cheviot. The Ministerial Visit. What Mr Hall-Jones Says. The Hon. W. Hall-Jones, Minißtei for Public Works, returned to Wellington on Saturday morning from Lyttelton, having left Cheviot the previous morning. In the course of a 1 chat with a Post representative, the Minister said the two facts which first and -most forcibly struck the visitor to Cheviot were the evidences on all hands of the enormous forces that had been at work, and the comparatively small loss of life and personal damage. As regards houses and property, all have suffered more or less, and there will be quite a boom in the chimney trade at Cheviot shortly, for upVards of 400 of these necessary adjuncts to a home will have to be rebuilt.«- Brick houses, of course, have gone down everywhere, like the chimneys, and as to the wooden ones, Mr Hall-Jones says they present a most singular appearance. They are, . of course, shaken and twisted, and in some cases broken, but the peculiar part of it is that the great majority of them have slipped from their foundations with great unanimity of direction, as though after giving them a shake the earth had moved on a step and left them' where they were. The Minister speaks' feslinely. about those who, being 1 "in a small way" in the district, had gradually built "cob" 'residences for themselves out of their savings, until many had placed their all in their little homes. 'These "cob" houses suffered greatly, most of them falling to pieces, so that in many instances furnishings as well as house were destroyed. This ."lass of suffeA>r, Mr Hall-Jones thinks, «wili need moat assistance. The large householders have done well, and can better withstand and make up the loss. Before leaving, Mr Hall-Jones gave instructions for the damaged bridges to be repaired. The evidences of the work of the earthquakes in these were most astonishing. In one instance, three 12in x 12in piles were broken .clean across, as though by a sudden blow. AU round the district cracks in the earth's crust are to be seen. In the centre of the road running from McKenzie town to the port a fissure has occurred, and one side of the road has sunk 18in below the other. The Minister expects a report as to the state of the country immediately above the slips on the Bluff road. When this comes to hand it will be decided whether or not the road shall be lepaired. While at Cheviot, the Minister stayed in a house that had lost its

The Minister expects a report as to the state of the country immediately above the slips on the Bluff ro»d. When this comes to hand it will be decided whether or not the road shall be lepaired. While at Cheviot, the Minister stayed in a house that had lost its chimneys and shifted from its foundations. Though he did all he could to cheer those around him it was a trying time.

Visitors from Christchurch to Creviot (says Truth's correspondent in the district) state that the feeling in the city is that the newspaper reports of the sate of affairs in Cheviot are exaggerated. ' When the coaches with Friday/sparty of refugees departed from McKenzie the place seemed deserted. -There were (according to Truth's corrspondent) hardly any women left.