Weekender, March 13, 2021
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SATURDAY, MARCH 13, 2021 Shaky Gisborne GLORY DAYS: The Post Offi ce in its prime. This photo was taken before the clock tower was removed following the 1931 earthquake. The clock is still being used today - in the Town Clock. William Crawford Collection courtesy of Tairawhiti Museum e Gisborne Herald’s Wynsley Wrigley looks back at the 1966 Gisborne Earthquake after he spoke to reader Richard Ralph who recalls that last week’s earthquake, like that of 1966, happened on March 5. istory supposedly never repeats Mr Ralph vividly remembers the 1966 Mr Ralph was mowing his lawn and thought she had been struck from behind. but Richard Ralph knows better. earthquake. stopped to remove the catcher. He was e Herald said the earthquake lasted for e retired ambulance offi cer “It was Saturday and right on midday”. surprise to see the mower was still moving. 45 seconds. Hnotifi ed e Gisborne Herald e Gisborne Herald published on that “What the hell is going on?” Sergeant K. Tennant of Gisborne Police that last week’s (March 5) 7.1 earthquake Saturday supports Mr Ralph’s recollections. It was then that he noticed the telephone told the Herald that 40 men of the special occurred 55 years-to-the day after the 1966 e scheduled fi rst edition of March 5, poles were going “berserk”. Civil Defence force had reported to police 6.2 earthquake which caused much damage 1966 was disrupted by a power cut arising Mr Ralph said the earthquake rolled like within a hour of the earthquake. and resulted in the demolition of two notable from the earthquake, but the sole edition waves in a direction from Peel Street to the ey wore identifying armbands and their Gisborne buildings, the Post Offi ce and the eventually published said “the fi rst major Gladstone Road bridge. role was to protect property. Opera House. impact was felt at 11.59”. His wife was driving at the time and Continued on page 2 News year’s resolution? Stay Keep Subscribe safe and informed... today healthy 38611-01 Call Cara Haines on 869 0654 or email [email protected] 2 THE GISBORNE HERALD LEAD LuCKY ESCApE: Future judge Dick Kearney sits in his home severely damaged by a falling chimney which just missed his family. File photo GoinG up: The Gisborne Opera House being built in 1912. William Crawford Collection courtesy of Tairawhiti Museum ‘Boy, we were out of there!‘ From page 1 Opera House manager L. Flett said the telephone switchboard. building had only suffered superficial Mayor Harry Barker, in an official post- Mr Ralph was one of those men although damage and would be closed for about a earthquake statement, said all services, he described them as civil defence police. month to be repaired. It was controversially water, electricity and communications were He had joined the special force about demolished in 1968. functionally normally “after only slight 12 months before and trained at the The Herald described the earthquake — delay in a few instances”. police station. He had gained a first aid centred within 20 kilometres of the city at Mr Barker, a former Gisborne Herald qualification which he described as the first a depth of 25km — as the worst since the editor, accused the New Zealand towards becoming an ambulance officer. 1931 earthquake which destroyed much of Broadcasting Service and the BBC of He said some buildings did not look Napier. inaccurate reporting. seriously damaged until they entered them, Gisborne Borough Council city engineer Gisborne had undergone an unpleasant and he specifically mentioned the two- Harold Williams estimated that £50,000 but far from disastrous experience, he said. storey Post Office built in 1901 on the site worth of damage had been caused to He was probably overstating the case now occupied by Heipipi Endeavour Park. buildings, plate glass and chimneys. when he said, “within a matter of days there SuRVEYinG THE DAMAGE: Gisborne “Boy, we were out of there!” The Earthquake Commission said it was will be no evidence of the earthquake and MP Esme Tombleson and Minister of There was some controversy when the expecting 600 claims. Gisborne and its people will continue their Earthquake and War Damage John Rae were concerned about the state of the Post building was later demolished, he said. A subsequent Ministry of Works report steady march of progress”. Office. The impressive-looking 65-year-old The post office was one of several buildings found most damage was within an area half- building was later demolished. File photo where cracks repaired after the 1931 a-mile wide on both sides of Turanganui earthquake had reopened. and Taruheru Rivers and about 2 miles up Deputy Leader of the (Labour) Opposition the river mouths. Hugh Watt, in Gisborne the day after the That area included the CBD on the west of earthquake, called for a new post office to the rivers and Whataupoko on the east. be built. The Herald received no reports of injury, but He said Ministry of Works engineers had said the hardest hit area of the CBD was the told him the structural damage was greater section “radiating” from the Peel Street- than appeared at first. Gladstone Road intersection. A Gisborne Herald editorial of March 8, Saturday shopping came long after 1966 which noted that a new post office had been meaning the CBD was barely occupied previously advocated, said of Mr Watt’s when the earthquake struck at noon on a support for a new post office, “those who Saturday. Numerous shop windows were have been inside the building will endorse broken and stock was tossed to the floor. his view”. Some buildings had shifted “slightly” while Other sites of damage recalled by Mr others revealed “gaping cracks”. Ralph include Redstone Motors, Gisborne The family of lawyer and future district Transport, Mangapapa School, destroyed court and Waitangi Tribunal judge Dick chimneys in Ormond Road and a chimney Kearney had a lucky escape in their home in Haronga Road which came through the at 14 Cheeseman Road. A falling chimney roof, and the Opera House which stood on completely covered the beds in the children’s the site now occupied by Briscoes and Watts room. Motors Mitsubishi. “The family were sitting in the room next A Gisborne Herald advertisement door and no one was injured as the chimney published on the day of the earthquake said and the television aerial crashed through the Millie (of My Boy Lollipop fame), supported tiled room,” reported The Gisborne Herald. by Kiwi musicians Dinah Lee and Tommy Civil Defence criticised the number of Adderley, was due to play at the Opera sightseers walking and driving around CoMinG DoWn: Workmen demolishing the front of the building operated by automotive House on March 16. The concert was later Gisborne after the earthquake while another engineer Dudley Redstone. The front of the building in Palmerston Road, opposite the moved to the War Memorial Hall. concern was the “grossly overloaded” original site of Central School, was badly cracked by the earthquake of March 5, 1966. File photo SATURDAY, MARCH 13, 2021 3 PROFILE Kaitiaki o Te Araroa FIRE CHIEF: Te Araroa chief fi re offi cer Dick Cook with his wife Aomihi. Pictures supplied e Te Araroa community headed for the hills after last Friday morning’s big quake, not waiting for the tsunami alert — and local fi re chief Dick Cook and his team made sure they got to safety. He spoke to Gisborne Herald reporter Murray Robertson about it, and Dick Cook with the awards and trophies he has won about his life and career in fi refi ghting. playing the other great loves of his life, snooker and golf. he 7.1 magnitude earthquake off “We knew that if a tsunami did come we Araroa in 1976, they were a bit short on Tokomaru Bay north.” Te Araroa shook Dick and his wife could safely drive back to high ground.” guys for the fi re brigade, so a bit later on I He has a head full of recollections from so of 45 years, Aomihi, awake like Dick Cook, aged 64, has been responding joined up. many years of attending fi res, bad crashes, Teveryone else on the East Coast, in like that in the service of the Te Araroa “I have always got so much satisfaction and numerous other emergencies in his Gisborne and many places elsewhere. community since 1979, three years after he out of being there to serve my community, district. Within 10 minutes Dick had jumped out and Aomihi moved up there from Gisborne. and also helping the young ones coming “ e bad ones stand out. Fortunately we’ve of bed, grabbed a bag full of essentials and Aomihi was brought up by her Nanny through. not had a fatal house fi re, but sadly there headed for the Te Araroa fi re station. Keita Kohere at Rangiata, East Cape then Te “We could do with a few more young ones have been plenty of fatal road crashes. Too “Aomihi was to head straight up Hospital Araroa by her parents Brownie and Turahiri now actually.” many. Hill, to the high ground, and I knew my fi re Waikari. e Te Araroa FENZ volunteer brigade “You don’t ever get used to attending crew and I had to ensure everyone else in “My whanau are so special to me. Hence currently has 11 active fi refi ghters and those. the town went there too.” we moved to TA,” she said. several ‘operational support’ volunteers, one You just put the new one in the back of Once his crew had made sure their own Dick was born in Gisborne, went to St of whom is Dick’s wife.