Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-04
4OODEAD IN QUAKE,
THOUSANDS HURT,
SURVEY INDICATES
New Zealand ReSCuerS Fear
Larger Observation-Disclosures
Ordered Evacuated.
5000 REFUGEES TO GET
AID IN ANOTHER TOWN
Fire Engines Buried in Debris and
Water Mains Broken-Planes
Rush Help.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
WELLINGTON, New Zealand Febru-
airy 4.-Preliminary estimates of the
death toll at Napier and Hastings
jumped to 400 today when surveys of
the damage caused by yesterdays earth
quake and fire had only begun.
Eyewitnesses reported its was impos-
sible to give any accurate figure at pres
ent. but agreed there were at least 300
dead in Napier and 100 in Hastings.
The number Of injured at Napier was
estimated at 1000. No figure on injured
at Hastings was reported, but the num-
Der was believed to run into the hun
dreds.
Thousands Are Homeless.
The total number of injured in the
tremors probably will run into thou
sands, while many other thousands arc
homeless. The town of Palmerston.
north. is preparing to received 5000
refugees for whom the government is
providing blankets and other equip
ment.
Among the injured at Napier is Very
Rev. JOSEPH Brocklehurst, archdeacon
of Hawkes. Bay. His spine is dislocated
Tonight a general order was issued
for the evacuation of Napier within
two days. The sewerage system has
been DESTROYED and the authorities
the inhabitants were not compelled to
leave the city as expeditiously as pos
sible.
Today the commander of the naval
sloop Veronica WHICH was in Hawkes.
Bay when the quake struck, radioed the
naval base here asking that all avail
able demolition stores be sent to him
at once. The request indicated his in
tention to blow up some of the buildings
in Napier in an effort to check the fire
which has not been brought under con-
trol since the first quake
Five naval planes set cut for Napier
this morning with sanitary experts and
equipment.
Streets Piled With Debris.
Survivors said the quake wrecked
nearly all the stane buildings in Napier
and that the fire. famed by breez
coming in from the sea- swept inland,
destroying everything in its path.
Napier was shambles. Streets were
piled with debris and buildings which did
not collapse from the first shocks.
leaned at dangerous angles. A heavy
pail of dust arose from the ruins and
mingled Win bGle AEOul UuIIlLAS
buildings to create additional terror.
As soon as the earth tremors ceased
desperate efforts were made to rescue
those entombed in the ruins of build
ings. Those who came out alive as
sisted in the rescue operations.
Both the injured and dead were laid
IN the streets.
Sightseers Are Barred.
The work of search and rescue is be-
ing organized as quickly as possible by
the Red Cross and governmental
agencies. They are facing enormous
difficulties, however owing to the wide
scope of the ruin and suffering. Police
have drawn Gordon across the island
at Dannevirke, rs miles south of Napier,
in order to prevent sightseers hindering
the rescue operations.
There have been many landslides
damming rivers. A party of workmen
at Wairoa had a remarkable escape.
When the railroad tunnel in which they
were working collapsed they crawled to
the surface through a crack l0 inches
wide
The Catholic seminary at Napier COL
lapsed during the quake, killing two
priests, Fathers Boyle and Condringer,
and eight students. Several others were
injured
Sleep on Seashore-
Napier families slept last night wrap
ped in rugs on the seashore, afraid to
venture back to their old shelters. Even
the waterline was changed. The bed
of the harbor was raised 10 feet and
places formerly covered by deep water
were dried up.
A Wellington newspaper man making
his way into the stricken area said that
the marine parade was lined with
broken houses, that the entire business
quarter was heap of ashes, and that
every bank in the city had collapsed
Two fine newspaper offices, the
Hawkes. Bay Herald and the Napier
Telegraph, were wrecked with their
modern equipment a total loss. The
Masonic Hotel was Smoldering ruin,
and the seaport section of Napier has
been virtually wiped out by blazing
gasoline The new Municipal Theater,
one of the finest in New Zealand, and
the Presbyterian Church both were
burned, while the Cathedral was dam
SEED beyond repair.