✨ Earthquake Damage Report
Mr. Taine’s brick store is uninjured.
Mr. Ross’ dwelling house, brick, uninjured.
The above not to be accounted for from any principles in the nature of the buildings.
W. Mills,
Sergeant of Police.
Mem.—The foregoing are the principal buildings which have suffered injury; many others are slightly injured, and perhaps some may have more than is apparent, but the greater part of those now enumerated, will have to be rebuilt. Clay buildings have suffered equally with brick ones, but it does not appear that there is so much danger to be apprehended from their falling, the clay will stick together, when in the same circumstances the bricks would crumble or tumble down; that can be accounted for, from the unyielding quality of a brick wall, when compared with the adhesive nature of clay material.
Clay houses built with posts are the least dangerous of the two, as the posts will support the fabric under any circumstances, but the house is always requiring repairs, as the clay is continually separating from the wood, even those which have slips of weather nearest from post to post, are very little more secure than the others, as the clay is not so adhesive, but it gives way under the influence of the weather, or of the smart shocks of earthquakes, such as are frequently experienced in this country, and plaster will always appear cracked opposite the posts.
The wooden buildings even of the poorest description have suffered no injury; the reason is obvious, for when one part yields from the shock, the part opposite must follow, and they will return in the same manner, all being tied together. For a dwelling house, good sound wood framing, either weather boarded, with lath and plaster inside, or brick-knogged with lath and plaster, would appear to be the most suitable, there being no chance of danger from them under circumstances similar to the present. For stores, strong framework similar to that of the Church lately erected on Te Aro, would be very suitable, not to be higher than two stories, the heavy weights to be placed only on the lower floor, with lath and plaster inside, the heat would not be greater than that of a brick house, the spaces between the weather-boarding and lathing being vacant. These remarks are only applicable, supposing the country should be subjected to frequent returns of the same accidents as have suffered most; the same description of buildings which on Thorndon Flat and on the Terrace, have suffered little or no injury, are in ruins on Te Aro. The Colonial Hospital on Thorndon Flat is the exception; that building does not appear to have had a chance of resisting any force, nearly approaching to that which was recently brought to bear against it, but that is a matter of opinion which it may not be proper for me to venture. Every chimney in the settlement is down or seriously injured, so much so as to require being rebuilt, except one, viz. Capt. Robinson’s house, at the back of Mr. Bethune’s, Wellington terrace.
Wm. Mills,
Sergeant of Police.
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New Ulster Gazette 1848, No 29
✨ LLM interpretation of page content
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Return of the Principal Houses Injured
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🏛️ Governance & Central AdministrationEarthquake, Damage, Houses, Wellington
- Taine (Mr), Owner of uninjured brick store
- Ross (Mr), Owner of uninjured brick dwelling house
- Robinson (Captain), Owner of house with intact chimney
- Bethune (Mr), Owner of property near Capt. Robinson’s house
- W. Mills, Sergeant of Police