AMAZING EXPERIENCES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18283, 27 December 1922, Page 4

AMAZING EXPERIENCES.

SUBTERRANEAN knocking. SPIRE SWAYS LIKE POPLAR. STRANGE OCEAN MANIFESTATIONS fuy TELEGRIPH.—OWN CORRESPONDENT.] CHRISTCHURCH. Tuesday. The earthquake, as experienced on the first floor of the Press building, was more than sufficiently startling- 16 swaying and rocking motion of the floor, the visible movements and tremors in the substantial walls, and the creaking of the structure resembled nothing so much as the " IsAouring " of a ship at sea. From a front window of the building the lofty spire of the Cathedral was seen to be swaying like a tall poplar tree in i, strong breeze, its motion being sufficient to set the bells clanging. As one exsoldier described it, the sensations experienced inside the building were akin to those of being in a town under shell fire. A peculiar aspect noticed by the hundreds of bathers on the New Brighton beach, and one which added to the eeriness of th«i whole affair, was that sharp distinct knocks, increasing in rapidity, could be heard by those lying down during the first and most violent shakes. Inquiries made among somp of the bathers confirm the statement that the knocks were really hard. After the tremors completely ceased many people were left with a dizzy sensation, ' and some complained of a feeling of sickness. There was no noticeable effect on the tide during and after the earthquake. Captain J. Vellanoweth, of the Union Steam Ship Company's steamer Kaitangata, underwent a strange experience when the steamer was six miles off Lvttelton heads. A sensation was felt similar to that of the vessel being changed from full speed ahead to full speed astern. There was a bumping as though the stern had grated on a sandbank, the whole ship being shaken and the masts quivering. It was at first thought that a serious mishap had occurred in the engine room, but it soon became apparent that all the ship was experiencing was the strange phenomenon of an earthquake at sea.

Scene at Cricket Match. Both players and onlookers at Lancaster Park, where the big cricket match, M.C.C. v. Canterbury, was in progress, had an experience at least remarkable, if not eerie. The spectators in the stands were probably the first to feel the shake and then the players got it, bringing the game to a halt. The stands and pavilion received the full effect and the disturbance earned the scoring board to sway violently, but no damage resulted. The shed on which the board is fixed, and which housed the scorers, was rocked to and fro with the added impetus given by the extra height. For a cricket match to be interrupted by an earthquake is something novel and the earthquake itself was quite a new experience for most of the visiting Englishmen. Therefore the topic at the afternoon tea adjournment was not the match, bnt the earthquake. " No, never before — and I don't want another!" said MacLaren, the captain of the M.C.C. team, when asked if he had ever taken part in a game that had been similarly interrupted. Cold Water Geysers on Beach. Parties of campers at Waikuku beach had alarming experiences. Immediately after the earthquake ceased, cold water geysers commenced to spout from the sand in various places, fissures having evidently been made in the ground down to the artesian water strata. The water commenced to gush out in heavy streams and, fearing that worse was to follow — possibly a tidal wave—those with motorcars made off as speedily as possible.

In one case a geyser started below a car, causing the machine to sink in the sand to a considerable depth. Only the strenuous efforts of the crowd of people on a tow rope saved it from being deeply engulfed. One picnic party had a unique experience, and one so alarming that it caused a lady member to faint. A cloth had been laid on the sand for afternoon tea when the earthquake occurred. Suddenly the tablecloth commenced to rise, a geyser having burst through in the centre of it. There was a hurried rescue of the comestibles and a rapid stampede. Taranaki Creek, a stream in the vicinity, which before the earthquake was a clear stream, afterwards became flooded with muddy water, caused 110 doubt by the earthquake fissures and letting up the water from below. "In connection with the earthquake it is interesting to note," stated Mr. tl. F. Skey, .director of the Christ-church Magnetic Observatory, "that it is evidently one of an 'harmonic series in the Christchurch records of in North Canterbury. In November, 1921, this is distinctly evident. In that series, there were two pairs of consecutive shocks separated by intervals of almost exactly 534 minutes, and the whole series w-is evidently compounded of sub-harmonics of periods of 13 seconds. 17 seconds, and probably 21 seconds, coupled with the harmonics of the day. Scientific Theories. "It may not be generally known that only just recantlv Professor Turner, secretary of the Seismoloptical Committee of the British Association, announced that in the world records of earthquakes for the past four years which had been discussed by him it appeared that a very definite 21-minute period existed. He had stated that there could be no possible doubt that our earth is in a state of continuous vibration, probably of the nature of a pulsation which' could be maintained by variations of tidal forces acting on the solid earth. The 21minute period," stated Mr. Skey, "is very approximately the observed time in which an earthquake wave can traverse one •diamnter of the earth. "1 consider that further shocks are extremely probable, but the time of their taking place is as yet indeterminable. It will be remembered that such shocks were observed after the great earthquake of November, 1901." Previous Earthquakes. It was on the morning of Saturday, November 16, 1901, that the last big earthquake, was felt in Canterbury. On that occasion the shock was of such severity that the Cathedral spire was thrown out of alignment and it was •thought for some time afterwards than the spire would have to be removed and rebuilt. _ Widespread damage was done in the city owing to tanks overflowing and crockery and plaster falling. The heaviest damage occurred at* Cheviot, where the township was practically devastated. The tremors continued "inter, mittently for several days, until not a chimney nor a window was left mtact. The people were throw n into a state of panic, and many residents who were rendered homeless had to be given temporary shelter in Christchurch. The earthquake which resulted in the totaJ destruction of the upper portion of the Cathedral spire, occurred on Saturday, September 1 1888. This was the most severe within the memory of the Canterbury pilgrims, but. although the damage extended as far as Hanmer the loss of property wag not neajlv so severe as i hat which occurred at Cheviot 13 years later.