EARTH TREMORS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23227, 22 December 1938, Page 15

EARTH TREMORS

FEARS CRITICISED PUBLICITY ADVOCATED DOMINION SCIENTIST'S VIEWS [by TELEGRAPH —OWN correspondent] CHRISTCHURCH, Wednesday The' prevalent attitude of regarding earthquakes as almost supernatural occurrences, with the consequent fear of them, was stronglv deprecated bv Mr. H. F. Baird, assistant director of the Magnetic Observatory, Ohristchurch, when discussing the recent earthquake shocks and the publicity given to them. He said that seismologists were stressing the view that earthquakes should, be regarded as natural phenomena, like rain and snow and thunder, and precautions could be taken which would reduce loss of life in an earthquake to an almost negligible quantity. Preparation Neoded "I am more scared of buildings than of earthquakes," said Mr. Baird. "Buildings can be made earthquakeresisting, sufficiently so to reduce the risk of loss of human life to an almost negligible quantity. 'Be prepared' is the most needed lesson for people to apply to their philosophy of earthquakes. It. is ludicrous to regard earthquakes in the light of supernatural occurrences. "Probably the main reason for the fear of earthquakes is that they deprive people of the power of mobility. Everything is out of balance, and it is impossible to run away from an earthquake. This gives a severe nervous shock to the system." Mr. Baird referred to the recent criticism of the publicity given to earthquakes in the newspapers by members of the Wellington Fire Board, who said that such publicity was regrettable and that Japan did not give publicity to her earthquakes. Question of Publicity "The point about big earthquakes is that knowledge of them cannot be suppressed from the public," he said. "The waves travel over the whole earth, and are picked up by seismological instruments. Bulletins are issued in cold print on their occurrence and origin. During the last month we recorded 50 earthquakes, many of them in Japan. "Publicity should be given to earthquakes in the newspapers if it is not done oil scare linos, on the ground that most scares are avoidable if the right precautions are taken. The greatest harm is done by scare rumours which circulate about earthquakes, and I when newspapers publish the facts they do a service that is worth while to the community." Asked whether earthquakes eould be predicted, Mr. Baird said that no seismologist had j'et claimed to be able to predict the time of earthquakes, although it was possible to gain an idea of where earthquakes were likely to occur at some future date, more particularly the extensions of formei fault movements.

MILD SHOCK AT DTJNEDIN LIGHTS SET SWINGING [BT TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION] DUNEDIN. "Wednesday A distinct earth tremor was felt at the south end of the city at a quarter past five this evening. The tremor was not of long duration, but was sufficiently severe to set electric light globes swinging.