WELLINGTON HARBOUR.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 618, 22 September 1909, Page 9

WELLINGTON HARBOUR.

GEOLOGICAt- HISTORY, EAKTHQUAKE-PROOP BDIIDIKGS. . Another of (ho ieries of Public Library lectures arranged by the City Council was given last evening in the Concert Chamber of the Town Hall, Dr. Bell, director of tho Geological. Surrey, lectured 'on.'.-Wellington Hnr- 1 hour from'a'geological standpoint. Councillor J. Smith was chsirmnu. ' ' ' Dr. Bell , said that the choice of Wellinßton as the capital of the Dominion had been made because of. >t6 fine harbour, nnd its supremacy as.a commcrciar centre, was . assured. The harbour measured about nine miles by five, and was completely land-locked eave for a narrow entrance 8S chains' across. It was eaid that, Captain Cook had sailed across what.was now.a sandy isthmus between Lyell Bay and Evans Bay,.but Dr. Bell considered that this was nothing more than a legend. . ■ . In the.palezoio period deposits of silts-and »?nd were made on an ancient land of considerable size, over part of which Wellington was now. built. tho. existence of this ?h«!,?w a ?r W . aS e T n $V" rocks notv found about. Wellington,, for they were simply hard: ened clays and When earth ■movements brought the hills above the water, the depression now, k^own. as the.harbour was occupied J ?&, t>o supposed antecedent ot tne-.Hutt River.' In course of. timo the harbour .was depressed, and the sea'-'extanifefl wiU up the Hutt VaUoy, It had now rSed, ! and the area:of the harbour was gradually byX r tuK Pr th 9 Mdiment broH = M seen along the coast from Seatoun to S ad if, ™f nt ™™™t s of the earth's'cru had been dowaward, but in 1855 the movement o „/■ T« D c B^'-; in having'land added 13 "fi, n i th ? ?° u u th - of England 'and in Hoi,wi h I A -i?M n * taken awa -5-,' hut ev - M?1«'V» " "k 1 * is "Ot 103?i, 5 , for ittle bits are being added out here.?' tfaughn?t' %" , con, pat e d' 'he formation of Wei»ffen«liS^bS been formed by earth movements, not bv;volcame processes ,-Porirua-Harbour was due to he depression of an; old fivor mouth; and the sharply-cut mountainous . sides . of JliUoid ■Sound were cansed by glacial excavation . Dr. Be 1 referred to the disastrous results of earthquakes; and. warned Wellington builders 0 be prepared.-Thero had been earthquakes n the .past, and more would b e : expcSced in the; future The recent earthquakes at San Francisco and 'Messina had shown that only" buildings •of wood or of reinforced concrete were during; a Wake,. The splendid Call .building of San Francisco, built of reconcrete, had withstood all shocks. It behove,every;loyal citizen of Wellington to see thatthe city was made permanent tt nd ear hquako-proof. "Do not think," ■ said. Dr Bell, in conclusion, "that I eipeotan earthquakel to-morrow,. because I don't think there will be any. for many, days to. come, arid I Uope; none wiir occur. We may expect them,' ho, ; ev «.-for they have occurred in tho past and y,il -occur m the future, and it isiust as well'..to bo. prepared:"- .: ' ■ ■• ._ The lecture';was •illustrntcd by a series of lantenrviews. A\ hearty vote' of ■ thanks was accorded Dr. 801 l at the conclusion of the lecture. ■ '•■... : ■, ; ; ■ .... .:..