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Earthquake 23 Feb 1863

Hawke's Bay Herald 25 Feb 1863 (Wed)
The want of a "new sensation," which has become a prevalent complaint 
in our dull town, was amply supplied on the morning of Monday last. At 
a few minutes past one, the inhabitants were suddenly startled from 
slumber by a violent oscillation, attended with hideous din, produced 
by shelves being emptied of crockery and their other contents, 
furniture being upset, and chimneys falling to the ground. The time of 
its duration is variously estimated at from twenty seconds to two 
minutes; but we think it must have lasted very nearly a minute. Its 
effects were very alarming for the time - the sensation being as if the 
houses were about to fall over, and many having turned giddy from the
peculiarity of the motion. The damage in the hotels and stores has been 
extensive - the contents of whole shelves having been swept to the 
ground and destroyed. In this respect, Messrs Robottom, Sutton, Bridge 
and Gill probably experienced the greatest loss. Innumerable chimneys 
have been broken off at the roof, and, in one or two instances, the
bricks came through, but without leading to any accident. The barrack 
chimneys have all gone, also one side of the mud wall which surrounded 
the reserve. It was, however, a feeble structure at best of times. The 
road to the Spit exhibits several cracks, but it having been all new 
ground at a comparatively recent period renders this an unimportant
fact. These effects would seem to denote that the shock was rather a 
serious one; and of course those to whom such visitations are strange 
felt rather queer during its continuance; but the old Wellingtonians 
among us say that it was quite a minor affair. Slight shocks or 
concussions continued at short intervals during the remainder of the
night. The atmosphere, we may add, was not affected. - Mr Koch, having 
had presence of mind to examine his instruments at the time. The 
direction of the shock appeared to be from north to south.


Hawkes Bay Herald 28 Feb 1863 (Sat)
The Earthquake was sharper in the interior than it was felt in Napier - 
one or two buildings having been moved off the piles, and great 
destruction committed in crockery and chimneys. We learn frou our own 
Correspondent (whose letter will appear on Wednesday) that a smart 
shock was experienced in Wellington.

Hawkes Bay Herald 7 Mar 1863 (Weds) Our correspondent
We had a shock of earthquake on Monday morning at 1 o'clock. It lasted 
nearly a minute; - shook tables, chairs, beds, and astonished the 
nerves of weak-minded folks, who told direful stories at the breakfast 
table of their sensations.