EARTHQUAKE DISTRESS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20304, 11 July 1929, Page 12

EARTHQUAKE DISTRESS.

CENTRAL COMMITTEE MEETS

FUND NOW TOTALS £34,000.

PLANS FOR RESTORATION

LOCAL BODIES OPERATING

[ny TELEGRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION'.] AVKLLINGTON. Wedncaday.

Tho central earthquake committee met in Wellington to-day to deal with the organisation of relief in tho earthquakestricken areas. A statement regarding the meeting was made by the Prime Minister, Sir Joseph Ward, in the Ilouso of Representatives later in the day.

Tho Prime Minister said:—"The central fund now totals approximately £34.000, and in order that tho funds might earn interest until required for restoration purposes it has been decided that surplus moneys in hand should bo invested at call with the Public Trustee, who would allow 5' 4 per cent, interest.

"Proposals for assistance toward the full restoration of the devastated areas were considered and the committed expressed its concurrence with the suggested procedure, whereby applications will bo invited from persons in need of assistance. The question of rendering assistance by way of further advances to mortgagors of the Stato Advances Office was also discussed and I gave an-assurance that preferential consideration would be given to applications of this naturo by tho State Advances Office.

"Tho question of restoring Murchison was discussed at somo length, and it was resolved that as regards restoration at that centro tho Nelson committee should operate on similar lines to Ihe Wcstport committee, which as a preliminary measure aimed at providing at least ono fire in each house and partially restoring tho comforts of residents. It was agreed that when this has been done tho question of full restoration could bo dealt with by calling for applications for assistance. In the meantime partial restoration would enable people to return to their homes. Up to £2OOO was authorised in the meantime for this purpose." Tho committee decided to set up a relief committee at Karamea, also at Seddonviile, working in conjunction with Wcstport, and, through that channel, to the central body. Distribution of relief will be made by tho central committees oil (he recommendation of the local committees.

A further full meeting is to be held in a fortnight, and meanwhile the Prime Minister is to deal with business which may arise. It is intended to hold fortnightly meetings. The committee resolved that no paid officials lie employed.

While West Coast towns remain somewhat isolated, the committee will keep the steamers Nile and Arahura at their disposal. SEDDONVILLE REFUGEES. DAMAGE CAUSED BY FLOOD. CRITICISM OF DEPARTMENT. [by TELEGKAPII. — OWN conIIEsrONDENT.] CnRISTCHURCH, Wednesday. A party of 157 refugees from Scddonvillo arrived at Christchurch last evening. Tlio possessions of many of them were only tlio clothes in which they stood. Tho climax to their hardships eamo last Thursday, when the dammed Mokihinui River broke through its banks and flooded tho town, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. Tho refugees complained in strong terms that although tho dams had been formed 17 days before they broke, they wero never inspected by officers of the Public Works Department. They believed that an inspection would havo shown that tho dams could havo been cleared by blasting before they became full of water, thus avoiding tne flood. _ Most of the people expect to stay in Christchurch for at. least a fortnight, and then to return to their homes. None who were spoken to desired to leave Seddonvillo permanently.

DAMAGE TO BUILDINGS. THE THREE MAIN CAUSES. VIEWS OF SEISMOLOGIST. [liV TELEGRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION.] CIIIIISTCIIUHCH, Wednesday.

There were three main causes of damage to buildings in tho earthquake area, according to Dr. C. E. Adams, Government seismologist, who has returned from a tour of' investigation. They were bad foundations, tho use of designs not intended to resist horizontal and, in less frequent cases, tho use of inferior materials. Dr. Adams said ho considered that some building regulations similar to those adopted in San Francisco after the earthquake there may lie enacted here to provide that buildings must bo braced to make thom capable of resisting a lateral pressuro of 3011). to tho square foot. The fact that miners 1200 ft. underground at Reefton are stated to havo felt tho earthquake disproved a popular impression that earthquakes wore not noticed far under tho surface.

ORIGIN OF MAIN SHOCK.

LARGE FAULT DISCOVERED.

OBSERVATIONS BY SCIENTIST.

[uy telegraph.—press association.] CIIHISTCIIUIICH, Wednesday.

An upthnist 13ft. wide has been discovered in the rock formation in the hills eight miles west-north-west of Murcliisiui. This is probably part of tho main fault and investigation is almost certain to show that this is the scat of tho origin of the big earthquake, according to Mr. 11. F. Skey, seismologist at the Christchurch Magnetic Observatory, who returned to-day after having spent a week in the Murchison district.

The fault, said Mr. Skey, looked liko a big step, the lower part having sunk 13ft. It was not far distant from one of the recognised lines of fault and seemed to run across the J3uller Valley and parallel to tlio Lyoll Range. The uptbrust would bo further studied and its nature determined. There was little doubt that -the centre of the origin of the earthquake was in this vicinity.

Booming noises in tho valleys continued in the Murchison area. These noises had been heard for years, but had not caused much concern to the settlers. Sometimes shocks came with the noises, but more often nov. Mr. Skey said ho noticed that the noises which wero followed by shocks were peculiar, being something like tho spluttering of a motor-car about to start. A sound-ranging apparatus was being taken to the spot to detect tho origin and direction .of tlieso noises. 110 was convinced the big movement was over and that the minor shocks occurring wero duo to the earth settling to rest.