CONSTANT TREMORS

Evening Star, Issue 20687, 9 January 1931, Page 13

CONSTANT TREMORS

TAKAKA RESIDENTS ALARMED SEISMOLOGIST TO STUDY AREA (_Per United Press Association.] WKLLIXGTOX, January 8. Tho continued earthquake tremors which liave occurred almost without interruption since tho upheaval at Murchison in June, 3929, led to a decision being made by Cabinet to-day to send an officer ot tho Government Scismological Department to tho area for the purpose of carrying out an inspection and investigating the country.

Tho alarm of tho settlors in the Takaka district, owing to tho continuation of tho tremors, was reported to tho Government recently by Mr G. G. Black, M.P. for Motueka, and it is as a result of his representations that tho Cabinet lias decided to investigate the movements in the area, in his telegram to the Government Mr Black said tho settlors were becoming greatly concerned at tho frequency and severity of tho earthquakes during the past lew days. Ho suggested that an endeavour should be mado to arrange for an officer of tho Seismological Department to visit tho district with a view to locating tho centre of tho disturbances, which, it was stated, appeared to bo local, it is believed that tire investigation will lead to results of scientific interest. Commenting upon tho message in a report to tho Government, the Department of Scientific and industrial Research states that the series of tremors experienced at Takaka practically over since tho earthquake at Murchison in 1929 was regarded by geologists and seismologists in a rather favourable way. This attitude was adopted inasmuch as tho strains and stresses were being relieved as they occurred. This meant that the danger of a serious earthquake was* therefore to some extent minimised, although it was not absolutely assured that one would not occur.