DAILY SHOCKS.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 19668, 11 July 1929, Page 9

DAILY SHOCKS.

NERVES OF WESTPORT PEOPLE. HARD TO FORGET EARTHQUAKES (PP.BSS ASSOCIATION TELSOEAK.) WESTPORT, July 10. "Not so easy a.s it seems," said a business man interested in a large way in coal-mining operations. "What we have to do now is to forget all about earthquakes and get right down to business." Then a big earthquake came and the building in which he and his hearers stood rocked uncannily for several seconds. That is the condition under which the people, both in business and in their homes, are working to-day. If an earthquake does not come for a few hours the people are tensely waiting for one. The waiting is very often worse than the effect when the earthquake actually takes place. The people are still living in a state of nervous tension under the impression one minute that the worst has passed and that only slight shakes will be experienced, and the next minute finding the buildings rocking almost as severely as with the earliest big shock. Besides the early morning earthquakes, there were several this afternoon, including a sustained one at 3.20 p.m. _ The Nile, due to-night from Karamea, called in at Little Wanganui and is to leave again for Karamea. for which oort the auxiliary schooner Fairburn, with general cargo, left early this morning. . Another party of 120 residents of Seddonville, mostly women and children, came into Westport this evening. Some are leaving for Christchurch and others for Wellington, while a good number are going to relatives or friends. The others are to be billeted out. The Salvation Army has the transport and billeting arrangements in hand.

SHOCKS FELT UNDERGROUND. Miners who were 1200 ft underground at Eeefton, are declared to have felt the earthquake, according to Dr. C. E. Adams, Government Seismologist, who has returned from an inspection of the damaged area. This, it seems, disproves the popular impression that earthquakes are not noticed far under the surface. During his tour, Dr. Adams, together with the Commission sent by the New Zealand Institute of Architects, made a thorough inspection of buildings, water mains, and drainage systems. TAKING PRECAUTIONS. MAKING BUILDINGS SAFER. There were three main causes of the building damage in the earthquake area, according to Dr. C. E. Adams, Government Seismologist, who has returned from a tour of investigation; they were bad foundations, the use of designs not intended to withstand horizontal shocks, and, in less frequent cases, the use of inferior materials. Cross-bracing, he stated, would make a building safe. After the big earthquake in San Francisco it was made compulsory for builders to erect structures that were capable of resisting a horizontal pressure of 301b to the square foot. Dr. Adams will make a report to the Hon. Mr Atmore, Minister in Charge of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, and it is possible that some such regulations as that mentioned may become law in New Zealand.

ESTIMATED DAMAGE IN NELSON. (PMBS ASSOCIATIOK TXIJSG&tM-) NELSON, July 10The City Engineer's estimate of the damage caused by the earthquake to private buildings in Nelson City is £79.000. not includine the Boys* College. This with the damage tn ruraJ districts, estimated at £237,000. makes a total of £317,000. with the Motueka borough still to come. RESTORING RAILWAY LINES. The Railway Department states that the work of restoration of the land section of the system is practically completed, but that some time must elapse before the Reefton-Inangaflua line is reballasted. A considerable amount of work will yet have to u done on the Wesjtport section"."l system before normal conditions nave been restored, and in the trains will continue to run at reau speed*.