REFUGEES REACH NELSON.
TERRIBLE STORIES FROM STRICKEN AREAS.
DANGER FEARED FROM FLOODS. (abridged)
NELSON, Last Night, A train which was packed with refugees at Kohutu arrived at Nelson about 8.30 to-night. It was met by the Mayor and councillors and, arrangements were made for sleeping accmmodation for the night. Haggard looks and the general appearance of the refugees were evidence of the trying ordeal through which they had passed.
For a fortnight the residents or Murchison, have heard the noise of explosions which they attributed to someone blasting. Now they have come to the conclusion that they were of subterranean origin. Monday afternoon and night, and until the party left to-day, was just like one continuous thunderstorm, while in places there were not mere huge landslides, but terrific explosions which lifted hillsides right out, hurling enormous masses across wide valleys. The residents felt the ’quakes least when the explosions were greatest...
Gibson’s farm, in the Maruia Valley, Glengarry, was overwhelmed, Mrs and Master Gibson, Leo Westbrook and Miss Ferguson being buried beyond recovery. Twenty refugees from this valley are endeavouring to reach Murchison to-morrow. -Stratford Evening Post, 19/6/1929.
HEAVY EXPENSE.
THE EARTHQUAKE DAMAGE
“The Education Department has an extraordinary expenditure to meet as the result of the earthquake damage, and I don’t suppose £20,000 will cover it. A progress payment of £1000 has been made for chimneys alone.” commented the Minister of Education (Hon. H. Atmore) during his inspection of the Palmerston North schools when requests were being advanced at West End.
“The Government is faced with a deficit of £566,000, and £750,000 will probably not cover the earthquake damage,” stated the Minister at a later stage when receiving a deputation on another matter.
When reminding the children at West End of the educational advantages which they enjoyed, the Minister related a pathetic feature of the earthquake. He stated that a number of children from the valleys in the stricken area went to Nelson last Christmas and saw ships and the sea for the first time in their lives. Among them was little Leo Westbrook, from whom he received a letter, but the boy was one of the victims in the great hill slide which buried his home. -Manawatu Standard, 23/7/1929.
WORKMAN KILLED.
BUN OVER BY BOLTING HORSE AND DRAY.
ACCIDENT AT MURCHISON.
(By Telegraph. — Press Association.) NELSON, this day. A workman named J. Westbrook, employed on road reaction work at Fern Flat, Murchison, was this morning by being run over by a dray when a horse bolted. -Auckland Star, 11/7/1930.
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