CENTRE OF 'QUAKE.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 142, 18 June 1929, Page 9

CENTRE OF 'QUAKE.

IN NELSON PROVINCE ? but perhaps out at sea. DISCREPANCY IN TIMES. (By Telegraph. —Own Correspondent.) CHRISTCHURCH, this day. An attempt to compute the appioximate point of origin of the earthquake from the times recorded reveals some curious discrepancies, either in the watches or the minds of the observers. Inglewood, for instance, recorded the earthquake at 10.17 and New Plymouth at 10.18, these times being consistent, with one another though not necessarily with those of other points. Auckland recorded the earthquake at 10.20, which was approximately correct, but Pukekohe made the time 10.24, and Caiterton 10.25, and Hamilton 10.21 (the same time as Dannevirke), whereas Hastings and Woodville recorded it at 10.20. and Waipawa at 10.19. Dunedin fixed the time at 10.20, but Oamaru's was 10.30.

Actually, the earthquake seems to have commenced its tremors at 10 o'clock in Westport, and to have reached the severe stage there at 10.15, or a few seconds later. Reefton was feeling the effects at 10.17, and Blenheim at 10.IS, and the earthquake was first noted at Wellington and Christchurc'n at 10.19 : at which time Greymouth was already rocking severely. Nelson's best effort to record the time was by a clock at the Boys' College, which stopped at 10.20, but this " was obviously a late effort, as the earthquake must by that time have been in progress for many seconds. Tremors reached Sydney at 8.57, equivalent to 10.27, New Zealand mean time, which would be nine minutes later than when the maximum phase was reached at Westport. Ignoring Sydney time it can be assumed that the centre of the earthquake was approximately an equivalent distance from Wellington and Christchurch. Present information points to the probability that the point of origin of the 'quake was on a line between Lake Sumner and Nelson, possibly about 30 miles north of Lake Sumner. If, however, Taranaki times are correct, it may be necessary to shift the point and to refer the earthquake to the southern end of a fault in the sea bed, in a line approximately between Wanganui and Cape Farewell. The probability, however, is that the Taranaki times are a little confused, and that the earthquake was caused by the collapse of a well-known fault in the southern portion of Nelson Province.