LOCAL ’QUAKES

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 224, 18 June 1929, Page 10

LOCAL ’QUAKES

PROPER RECORDING INSTRUMENTS PURCHASE AUTHORISED MINISTER’S PROMPT ACTION Guided by the experience of yesterday’s earthquake, the Minister in Charge o£ the Scientific and Industrial Research Department (Hon. H. Atmore) has given instructions for the immediate placing of orders for one or more of the seismographic instruments required for the accurate recording of local disturbances.

“As Minister in Charge of the Department controlling the Seismological Office,” the Minister said, “I am informed by the Government Seismologist that a telegram from Greymouth states there was a local shake there at 7.25 this morning, ‘but there are no details. The ’quake in Wellington shook the seismographs out of order. These are very sensitive instruments and are especially good for recording distant earthquakes, and earthquakes all round the Pacific Ocean are recorded here. Our reports are used to help other observatories to locate earthquakes. * By this method we get maps showing the exact position of dangerous areas of earthquakes some distance from New Zealand, but when the ’quakes are close to New Zealand their violence is such that they throw the seismographs out of action. “This time the violence was more than usual, and it dislocated two differents of the machine,” the Minister continued. “We have also a rougher mc\Jel of seismograph, the record of whi\h will be developed tomorrow morn\.g. This will probably be a good record. Seismographs for recording local earthquakes are obtainable, and it is hoped to install some of these in New Zealand so that the originating centres may be accurately located. It is much more important to New Zealanders that full information of the local earthquake should be obtained, and our stations will not be adequately equipped'until we are provided with these necessary instruments. Orders will be placed immediately for one or more of these seismographic instruments required for recording accurately local shakes." Mr. Atmore added that the broadcasting of the wireless time signal, usually sent out at ten-thirty, was prevented owing to. the stoppage of . the clocks ten minutes before that time. However, the Government wireless station was asked to broadcast, for the Information of shipping, the fact that no signal had been sent out Later wireless time signals were received from Honolulu and Malabar, and these were checked by observation of the sun.