EARTHQUAKE-PROOF BUILDINGS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1114, 29 April 1911, Page 3

EARTHQUAKE-PROOF BUILDINGS.

Sir, —I sec by our local papers that a geologist lias issued a warning to the people of Wellington, as regards the danger from earthquakes, nnd the necessity of building so as to resist them. For years I have been calling attention to the same- matter, but thus far with but little result, liver since 1841, violent shocks of earthquake have occurred regularly at intervals of about seven years, and we' may expect one this year, or early in 1912. Under such circumstances, it is madness to erect tall brick structures, which, in case of such shocks as those of IS4S and 1835, reduce brick buildings, in a few minutes, to heaps of loose- bricks. I saw the effect on the brick church at Putiki in the latter year. Though the walls were only Bft. high, and carefully built with good mortar made from lime burnt I'nr the purpose, next morning there were hardly any two bricks sticking together. The present style of building, with a steel framework enclosed in concrete, is an improvement, but still is not quite satisfactory, because the mateiial is too heavy, nnd it is the weight which does the mischief, The concrete ought to be made with pumice, of which there are

whole mountains beside the central railway, and which could ho conveyed to Wellington at trilling cost, because it is little heavier than cork. Such concrete is less than a quarter the weight of gravel concrete, and is cheap, because lime is better for it than cement. It is also almost a perfect non-conductor of heat, which is a further advantage.— 1 am. etc., OLD WAXGANUI SETTLER,