CONTINUED EARTH TREMORS

Hawera Star, Volume L, 9 January 1931, Page 5

CONTINUED EARTH TREMORS

UNEASINESS IN TI.AKAKA

SURVEY TO BE MADE.

(By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Jan. 8

The continued earthquake tremors which have continued almost without interruption since the upheaval at Murchison in June, 1929, have led to the decision being made by the Cabinet today to send an offecer of the Government Seisrnological Department to the area for the purpose of carrying out an inspection and investigating the country, . r „ The alarm of settlers in the J akaka district through the continuation of the tremors was reported to the Government recently by Mr. G. C. Black, M.P. for Motueka, and it is aS 1 the result of liis representations that the Cabinet has decided to investigate the movements in the area. In a telegram to the Government, Mr. Black said the settlers were be- 1 / coming greatly concerned at the frequency and severity of the earthquakes during the past few days. He suggested that an endeavour should he made to arrange for an officer of the Seisrnological Department lo visit the district with a view to locating the centre of the disturbances, which, it was stated, appeared to he local. It. is believed that the investigation ivill load to results of scientific interest.

Commenting upon the message in a report, to the Government, the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research states that ths. series of tremors experienced at Talcaka practically ever since the -earthquake at Murchison in 1929 was regarded by geologists and seismologists in a rather favourable way. This attitude was adopted inasmuch as the strains and the stresses were being relieved as the tremors occurred. This meant that the danger of a serious earthquake was to some extent minimised, although it was not absolutely assured that one would not occur.