THE PACIFIC.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 12 July 1924, Page 15

THE PACIFIC.

EARTHQUAKE ZONES. PROFESSOR DAVID’S VIEWS. - The views of Professor Sir Edgeworth David on the recent violent earthquake hear Macquarie Island are especially interesting, not only because of his intimate knowledge of the island, but also because of the distinguished place that he occupied as a geologist (says the Sydney Morning Herald). In speaking of the significant features - of the earthquake shocks reported a few days ago, he expresses the hope that it may indicate that a safety valve has been temporarily found for cumulated stresses of the earth’s crust which may cause earthquake shocks within the general region of New Zealand. Although there is no absolute guarantee that it will .hare done so, Sir Edgeworth David adds that one hopes that the .recent disturbances will secure immunity to New Zealand from severe earthquake shocks for some little time, at any rate, in the future.

“Macquarie Island, which Dr. E. F. Pigot ,of Riverview, considers to be close to, if not actually at, the origin of the recent extraordinarily violent earthquake shock, is situated about 900 miles south of Tasmania, and is slightly nearer to New Zealand, said Sir Edgeworth David. “It is administered from Tasmania, as, although nearer to New Zealand, it is more difficult of access from the latter on account of the fact that it lies well within the path of violent westerly W'inds, so that, for shipping approaching it from New Zealand, strong gdver.se winds have to he encountered. The island is wholly volcanic. It is about 20 miles in length, and about three miles in width. It consists of a high plateau, rising to fully 1000 ft above sea level. Trees are wholly absent. The island is clothed with , a dense green mantle of vegetation formed of high tussock grass and the Kerguelen cabbage. These form good fodder for sheep, which have occasionally been taken to the Island to be fattened there.

“The island,” proceeded Sir Edgeworth David, “is a wonderland for birds and seal life. Formerly, it was frequented by numerous fur seals, and as many as 180,000 skins were obtained there between 1910 and 1913; but unfortunately the valuable fur seal is now practically extinct there. It is a great breeding ground for the largest variety or seal', known as the sea elephant. The bull sea elephant attains a length of 20ft. Sea leopards are also occasionally found. The fur of both is valueless, but numbers of sea elephants have been killed for the sake of their blubber oil. vThe. shelterd parts of the island near the seashore are tenanted by literally millions of different kinds of penguins, conspicuous among which is the handsome large bird known as the king penguin, which is peculiar to Macquarie Island. Attempts have been made for some years past to establish an industry in animal oil, by killing and melting down the fat of the sea elephants and of the- royal penguins; and as many as 700 sea elephants , and 300,000 royal penguins have beenslaughtered for. this piirpose in a single season.

Sir Edgeworth . David proceeded to say that, chiefly through the energetic advocacy of Sir Douglas Mawson,. this lamentable destruction of the native fauna, which, at the same time was really profiting no oiie, had now been ended consequent upon the action-of the Tasmanian. Government. “The birds of the island,” he went on to say, “have now no natural enemies except a number of wild cats, descended from domestic cats, introduced by visiting navigators.” ' “Sir Douglas Mawson, when leading his expedition to Adelie Land, in the Antarctic, established a hut and wireless station at Macquare Island, and valuable meteorological data were sent daily to the Central Weather Bureau in Melbourne until, owing to the exigencies of the war, the service was discontinued.”

Sir EdgeAA'orth David said that, as far as w 7 as known, the island, at the moment, w 7 as quite uninhabited. “This recent terrible earthquake shock,” he added, “will, no.doubt, have spread extreme panic, and perhaps caused some destruction, among the penguins and sea elephants. It will, in passing, be interesting to see Avhether any small tidal Avaves from this earthquake reach New Zealand or southern Australian or Tasmanian ports. “Macquarie Island,” Sir Edgeworth David remarked, “lies on a great line of earthquake crack or geological fault, extending northwards along the AA 7estcoast of New Zealand, and thus forming the south-eastern boundary of the Tasman Sea. It is probable that there is a second crack, branching off from Macquarie Island and crossing to the east side of New Zealand, and passing thence to the east of the great volcanic j'.one of the Kermadec and Tonga Islands.

“Indeed, it may be said about the wholei of the Pacific Ocean, that it is ringed round by earthquake and volcanic zones. There may be two significant points about this last tremendous disturbance. First, it probably indicates a slight subsidence—and a few feet are quite enough to bring about' such a violent earthquake shock —in the south-eastern floor of the Tasman Sea. If so. this indicates that the eastern side of the Tasman Sea is still liable to periodic subsidences, whereas the western side of it, on the shores of which we in eastern Australia dwell, has become, fortunately for us, relaquiescent.” “In the second place,” proceeded Sir Edgeworth David, “one hopes that it may indicate that a safety valve has been temporarily found there for cumulated stresses of the earth’s' crust which may cause earthquake shocks within the general region of New Zealand and the shallow rock platform on which it rests.”

“During a period of so much earthquake intensity through which the world has passed since the great Tokio disturbance last year, until now, any countries which border the Pacific, and which have not yet been visited by earthquake shocks, may naturally feel apprehensive of such a visitation. One hopes that the recent great disturbance, although, of course, there is absolute guarantee that it will have done so, will secure immunity to New Zealand from severe earthquake shocks for some little time.”