WELLINGTON'S FORMATION.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 579, 6 August 1909, Page 6

WELLINGTON'S FORMATION.

earthquake-proof building?. Advice, by dr. bell. ■The formation of Wellington harbour waa tho subject of the third of, Dr. J. M. Ball's series of geological lectures, given at the Wellington Training College last . evening.' Despite tho. stormy- night, there was a large attendance. Mr., A. .de B. Brandon was- in the- chair.' . ■ ' :•' : ' ■ Dr. 801 l gave a very interesting explanation of tho geological formation 'of Wellington harbour, .illustrated with lantern slidea. He contrasted Wellington harbour, which was* mainly caused by faulting with the broad, openslopes of Porirua harbour, which is the depression of a river valley mouth. The numerous bays and harbours, stretching up the old river valleys at Porirua 'were shown in contradistinction ■to ttho ,sliarpf V-shaped Ngahauranga Gorge, at Wellington. Picton harbour, ' the lecturer ' explained, was like that of Porirua. the result. 1 of a perfectly normal , depression ..of a/river mouth. Auckland harbour was of the same formation for the most part, though, in its case, there had been other changes. : An emphatip, warning formed the close of Dr. Bell's lecture. In August, 1 ■ 1905, he said, was felt the' last considerable earthquake in Wellington. It,was. not a great earthquake, but it caused some excitement and alarm. In, 1855 tho- last really great earthquake was' experienced. At that time Wellington was a small community, consisting of a few small "shanties' along the sea beach. Now it was a fine city, with splendid thoroughfares' and buildings"'' worthy of a muoh greater town. "I have no hesitation in saying," said Dr. Bell, "that if tho earthquake of -1855 tvas repeated-to-morrow, <very few of those .fine, very few of those, on' tho reclaimed land, Would be standing." He remembered how, , immediately aJ.ter'. the . San Francisco' earthquake, xhe "had, been: rung iip by a lady, who raised whether she should stiiy in Wellington for another month. • Sho referred to the San Francisco earthquake, and said she had boon told that Dr. Bell could say w.hon tho nest earthquake would come to Wellington.: If if waa hkely' to occur within a. month sho Would leave, but otherwise she : wondd like to ■remain here for,that period. Wβ : knew .spniething about earthquakes now, continued. Dr. Bell, but we could not tell as yet when they were going to take pkce.' There might ;be a great-earthquako in WeHington to■mdrrow, it might not be in the lifetime, of any of us, perhaps not for a tliousand years or more, but, they had occurred, in the past ;and they; would occur in; tho future, and it behoved everyone to try as far as • possible to make the city proof against thorn.. It could not be made absolutely, proof,, but, a great deal could be done.. Tho Japanese and others had started- seismologioal. surveys. In Wellington nothing of that kind had been done. Not nearly enough was known, a-nd it was' a matter to -whioh everyone should be awake. A very careful .seismological survey should be made, and great care should bo exercised as to the materials of whioh Wellington was bupt. , In the case of San Francisco, those buildiags resisted the earthquake whioh were constructed of earthquakeproof material, and at Messina, also, the few buildings which survived were those constructed in modern methods with a view to earthquakes; It'was the duty of everyone to use his influence so that only earth-quake-proof or wooden buildings should be erected in Wellington. It was desirable that substantial. buildings should bo erected, but tbese should be made earthquake-proof. , ' Mr. J. S. Tennant, in moving a hearty vote of thanks to the lecturer,.-said that the students w»uld ; like,to have -.a fleld excursion round W l ellington ■ witJi Dr. Bell. The vote of thanks was carried with enthusiasm. .... , ' . ~, , It was announced that the next'series of lectures would be given by Mr. A.; Hamilton, beginning'on Thursday next. The lectures will deal with the Maori. ■ '-