THE EARTHQUAKE.

Manawatu Times, Volume V, Issue 147, 29 June 1881, Page 2

THE EARTHQUAKE.

About a quarter past five o'clock on Sunday morning last We were visited with the heaviest earthquake experienced m the colony for tome time. A few. minutes . before the ■hock occurred, a loud rumbling, supernatural noise could be heard as though proceeding from the very bowels of the earth, but which it is supposed by many, proceeded from the flcey mouth of the burnings mountain Tonsariro, The earthquake appeared to travel almost North East, by South West, and the time of its duration was about a minute. In a marvellously brief space of time," almost everyone m the Township were out of their beds many' anticipating « still heavieF ghooV, but m this belief they were happily, mistaken. The noise and confusion caused by the creaking houses, falling of chimneys, to-. gether with the thunder-like roll which accompanied the shock caused considerable eorifusion, In many families, the fright to the children was serious, and their screams could plainly be heard m all direotions albove the other din, About twenty minutes elapsed, and another shock of less power, and at intervals, up to , Sunday midnight, light earthquakes accompanied with the usual thuntlrou» poll, were experienced. The damage done m the Man awatu must be considerable, innumerable brick chimneyi were brought to the ground, and m some instancesjhouses were actually shifted -from their foundations. Mr Lloyd> f _„ nev^ Brewery, is we believe shifted'cosiderablyfrora its place. One thing was particularly noticeable. After the earthquake had 'passed, the air- become much cooler, and clearer than before. The number qf fallen and damaged chimneys will now provide labor, during the next week, or two, for the bricklayers, and here we may again quote tha good laid proverb. "Its an ijl wind tfc&l?.bjQ,Wß n,Ql?Qdy good," K$ ®ay

aid, tl at whilst writing we have not heard how far the shock travelled or where it has been worse felt, but before going to ..press, we shall doubtless hear full particulars.