EARTHQUAKE TREMORS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20767, 9 January 1931, Page 12

EARTHQUAKE TREMORS.

THE MURCHISON DISTRICT.

FREQUENT OVER. LONG PERIOD.

CONCERN AMONG SETTLERS

[BY TELEGRAPH. —PRESSI ASSOCIATION"-] WELLINGTON. Thursday.

Earthquake tremors, which have continued at frequent intervals since the upheaval at Murchison in .Tune, 1929, led to a decision being made by (lie Cabinet to-day. to send an officer of the Government seismological department to the area for the purpose of carrying out an inspection of the country.

Alarm among settlers in the Takaka district, through-the continuation of the tremors was reported to the Government recently by Mr. G. C. Black, M.P. foi Motueka, and it is as a result of his representations that the Cabinet has decided to investigate the movements in the area In a telegram to the Government Mr. Black said settlers were be coming greatly concerned a'., the frequency and severity of earthquakes during the past few days. Ho suggested that an endeavour should be made- to arrange for an officer of the seismological department <o visit the district with a view to locating the centre of the disturbances, which, it wa3 stated, appeared to be local.

Commenting on the matter in a report to the Government, the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research states that tho series of tremors experienced at Takaka practically ever sine* the earthquake at Murchison in 1629 was regarded by geologists and seismologists in rather a favourable way. This attitude was adopted inasmuch as 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. SETTLING* DOWN PROCESS. TREMORS NOT SEVERE. A resident of Murchison at present in Auckland states that since the great earthquake in that district in June, 1929, there lias been no cessation of tremors. Several times a week is heard a boom which usually is followed by a double shake, evidence that tho displaced masses are settling down. They are now taken as a matter of course, being never severe enough to do any damage or caus;o falls or fractures.

" We are not advertising the fact, " lie added with a laugh, " becauso communities which .have not been through our experience arc inclined to magnify shakes even > if they are the inevitable subsidence affcer a great convulsion. A geologist has expressed the theory that tlie next main movement may centre in the Cape Farewell region."