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An Epitome of Official Documents Relative to Native Affairs and Land Purchases in the North Island of New Zealand

The Lieutenant-Governor to the Governor-in-Chief

The Lieutenant-Governor to the Governor-in-Chief.

Report of Ruinous Earthquake at Wellington.
[Extract from New Zealand Gazette. ] Government House, Wellington, 19th October, 1848.

Sir,—

It is my most painful duty to inform your Excellency that a terrible calamity has overtaken this province: an earthquake has occurred, and the Town of Wellington is in ruins.

On the morning of Monday, the 16th October, about twenty minutes to 2 a.m. the first shock occurred, and was sufficiently strong to throw down or injure most of the chimneys in the town, and to crack the walls of very many of the brick buildings. Considerable loss of property was sustained by breakages in the houses, and a good deal of alarm excited in the minds of the inhabitants. During the whole of Monday shocks and tremblings of the earth were from time to time experienced, but of a slighter character than the first.

On Tuesday, the 17th October, about 4 o'clock a.m., another rather smart shock was felt, and again at 8 a.m. Lighter ones continued at intervals during the day, until at twenty minutes to 4 o'clock in the afternoon, when a sudden and much more violent shock took place: by this, chimneys previously remaining up were for the most part cast down. The Native Hospital, the Gaol, many of the large brick stores, and the higher brick walls were either very much rent or wholly thrown down; immense destruction of property took place, and, I regret to add, a melancholy loss of life. Barrack-Sergeant Lovell and two of his children were thrown down and buried by falling ruins. Upon being extricated, one of the children was found dead, and the other so seriously injured that it died a few hours afterwards. The Sergeant himself was much hurt, and now lies in a precarious state.*

During the remainder of Tuesday and the succeeding night slight shocks only were felt; but about 5 a.m. on Wednesday morning a stronger one occurred, and another about 8 a.m. Minor shocks continued at intervals during the remainder of the day and evening until the morning of Thursday, the 19th, at ten minutes past 5 a.m., when a most violent and awful shock took place; every building was rocked to and fro in a fearful manner, and, with the exception of the wooden dwellings, most of the houses and stores were seriously shattered or fell in. The whole population were in the utmost consternation and alarm; and the destruction of property was immense; but, most providentially, up to the present time no further loss of life has ensued. Numbers of persons are, however, ruined; many left houseless and homeless, except such temporary shelter as can be afforded by the new church, Te Aro, by Government House (where the hospital patients and some others are taken in), and by the wooden buildings of their friends. Many persons are afraid of remaining in any of the houses at night, and retire to the bush among the hills in the hope of being more secure, notwithstanding the wild and inclement weather by which the earthquake has been accompanied.

A blow has been struck at the-prosperity, almost at the very existence, of the settlement, from which it will not readily recover. Terror and dismay reign everywhere; for the last four days no business of any kind has been transacted. The energies of all seem paralysed, and during that period no one has been able to feel for a moment that even life itself is secure. As I now write, too (11 p.m., 19th October), incessant and alarming tremblings of the earth are experienced. What may be the eventful result, or when this dreadful state of suspense and anxiety may be terminated, God alone can tell, but every one seems to feel a presentiment that it will end in some still more fearful catastrophe than any which has taken place.

The sad ravages which have already occurred, and the terror which so frightful a visitation page 176 naturally produces in moat men's minds, will, I apprehend, drive from the colony all who can find the means of getting away. The few ships now in port, waiting for moderate weather to sail, are crowded to excess with colonists abandoning the country, and numbers are unable to obtain passages.

Under this awful visitation, I deemed it my duty at once to summon my Executive. Council, and, with their approval, to proclaim a day of public and solemn fast, prayer, and humiliation, in order that supplication might be offered up to Almighty God to avert the occurrence of any similar visitation; and Friday, the 20th day of October, was appointed for this purpose. I will not fail to communicate to your Excellency such further information and reports as it may be in my power from time to time to render.

I have, &c.,

E. Eyre.

His Excellency the Governor-in-Chief.

* Since dead.