On February 3, 1932, the newspapers in Hastings and Napier reflected on the year that had passed since that fateful February day.
The Hastings paper, The Hawke's Bay Tribune, printed memorial notices for some of the town's 93 victims. Frank Cole wrote that his "dear wife, Ethel Rose [30], and our two children Billy [4] and Peter [3], who, all together and at one, were taken from me on 3rd February 1931".
Others, such as draper R T Harding, remembered their employees, in his case Charles Drummond (18): "A loyal and honest lad."
Roachs' had lost 17 staff and customers, and acknowledged them.
Parents Bessie and Tom Dimond lamented the loss of their only child, Henry, and children poured out their sorrow for deceased parents.
The editorial focused on the positive aspect of the recovery and recalled incidences of kindness shown by those outside of Hawke's Bay, such as a baker in Marton who had just started in business, but baked a lorry full of bread and drove to Hastings to distribute this free - and then went home to do it all again.
And a man, simply known as "George", who had stowed away on a relief train from Wellington and acted as cook for several weeks at the Hastings Central School Red Cross Depot.
One delightful story recalled was of the children of Central School, who roped off part of a Hastings street, and gave a concert, and then set about "bailing everyone within sight for menacing demands for money for the relief of sufferers".
The tension between Hastings and Napier after the earthquake was not mentioned - this was a sombre day of commemoration and attempted point scoring on the first anniversary would be distasteful and inappropriate.
Napier's building programme was mentioned by the Hastings paper and acknowledgement that the task was greater in that town, the capital of the province.
Hastings Mayor George Roach thanked all those who helped after the earthquake, especially those from outside the area, and attributed the recovery efforts by his own citizens to "true British pluck".
In contrast, Napier's The Daily Telegraph provided more coverage to commemorate the first anniversary of the 1931 quake. Much of the space was devoted to the work of commissioners L B Campbell and J S Barton, and the progress of reconstruction, noting Napier's streets would be widened, corners played and service lanes for building provided in the CBD.
The government-appointed commissioners thought the earthquake regained land on Napier's Marine Parade would "eventually be one of Napier's finest assets and the deciding factor in establishing its status as the capital of the province".
To assist in this, they arranged for soil to be dumped on 2.5 acres (about one hectare) of Marine Parade land.
Many pictures of well-known local identities who played a part in the earthquake recovery were featured - even one of George Roach, the mayor of Hastings.
The replacement Napier Hospital and Nurses' Home - both wrecked, were pictured in the process of rebuilding.
An article on the progress of Hastings was most complimentary and noted that 192 permits were issued for temporary buildings after the earthquake, and that 80 new ones had been built, which "are all of pleasing design, much alike in colour and facings, and presenting a delightful uniformity".
And on their safety: "It will take a mighty big shake to bring them down."
Many who came to camp at Beatson's Park (now Hastings Top Ten in Windsor Park) during the Christmas holidays in 1931/32 to see the damage wrought by the earthquake in Hastings were disappointed.
One had expressed an opinion that reports of damage in Hastings had been greatly exaggerated.
Such was the progress of rebuilding, only those who had seen the original damage and visited one year later "could marvel and express such pleasure at the surprising strides in rehabilitation - the disappointment in others would be understandable".
While there was still much to rebuild, especially in Napier, the feeling of hopelessness that had appeared overwhelming a year ago was now being replaced by confidence for the future.
Hastings Mayor George Roach was reported a year after the earthquake in The Hawke's Bay Tribune as saying: "There is much we should forget, but there is much to remember with gratefulness and pleasure."
Michael Fowler's From Disaster to Recovery is available from the Hastings iSite or the Art Deco Trust shop in Napier.