THE EARTHQUAKE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2393, 7 January 1909, Page 5

THE EARTHQUAKE.

MESSINA TO BE RE-BUILT

MORE SUFFERERS RESCUED

United ‘Press Association. Copyright

ROME, Jan. 5

At the instance of Signor Nathan, the Jewish Mayor of Rome, the Vatican gladly received a batch of suffering survivors at the hospital outside the Pope’s territory. He passed over the .archway^to the hospital iaind comforted them. Signor Nathan visited the hospital later anr exchanged cordial greetings with Cardinal Merry del Val. ,

King Emanuel and the Government have determined that Messina will bo re-built. Government are lending "““money on very favorable terms. They expect to raise ISO million lire for the purpose by increasing the tax on land incomes. Messina will bo exempted' from property taxes lor a quarter of a century.

After a sharp shock at Messina yesterday the British battleship Exmouth got caught in tho current, snapped her anchor chains, 'and drifted- two miles before control was recovered.

An entire family was released at Messina yesterday, almost uninjured. Many ruins are being flooded with carbolic acid to overcome tho stench.

KING EDWARD’S THANKS

DONATION FROM NEW SOUTH

WALES GOVERNMENT. LONDON, Jan. 5. King Edward ' telegraphed ’to the fleet high and approbation of the energy displayed in dealing with the disaster. NEW YORK, Jan. 5. There were frantic scenes at New York ampng 200 Calabrians and Sicilians, who before landing had heard for tho first time of the disaster. SYDNEY, Jan. 6. The State Government cables. £SOOO for the Italian earthquake fund. The Lord Mayor presided at a meeting in the Town Hall to inaugurate a public fund. A sum of £875 was subscribed.

BRITISH FIELD HOSPITALS.

THE MEX-OF-WAKSMEN’S WORK

(Received Jan. 6. 10.55 p.m.)

ROME, Jan. 6

Four days elapsed before H.M.S. Exmouth was able to go to Gallico, a town of 5000 inhabitants five miles north of Reggio. She established a hospital of 250 beds with nurses. This was a veritable God-send, because it was the only place of relic! in the vicinity, and wounded from Catania, where out of 3500 inhabitants two thousand were killed, were conveyed to Gallico on stretchers for several miles.

Shocks are occurring round Reggio at intervals of twenty minutes. H.M.S. Duncan lias now established a field hospital at Catania. Other British ships landed 70 men and 40 doctors at Scilla and o 0 men and three doctors at Canatelio. The latter is the most sanitary camp of any.

HEROIC BLUEJACKETS. A BRITISH GHARLAIN’S FATE; (Received Jan. 6, 11.5 p.m-) " ROME, Jan. G. f \ i.M.S. Minerva’s men, amid recurring shocks and heavy groans, worked 1 heroically among the ruins of the Bntish chaplain’s (Mr. Halcutt’s) house at Messina, and discovered Mr. Halcutfc and a child in bed. Both had been crushed to death.. The search continues, as his wife and throe ot lei children are under the ruins.

LONDON, Jan. 6. The Mansion House fund lias reached £50,000. '