THE EARTHQUAKE AT WESTPORT

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8364, 26 February 1913, Page 10

THE EARTHQUAKE AT WESTPORT

To the Editor “N.Z. Times.” Sir, —Surely the late earthquake at Westport should be a warning to the Government to erect no more Parliamentary Buildings in Wellington. ..In my opinion it is simply flying in the face of Providence, which tells us plainly and surely that great seismic disturbance always happens near the sea. In a seaport, liable to earth shock, the visitations can be reckoned upon as certain. Westport had a valuable Government building cracked and (1 expect) ruined on Saturday. It is not so long since our own post office in Wellington was badly damaged. Next week a similar shock to that of Westport may shake Wellington. When we know that this is most probable, why continue the folly ot keeping our most valuable public records in so insecure a town. For it is not the eartbshake so much that does the damage as the fire sweeping through the ruins that always accompanies any great seismic disturbance (I instance Messina, San Francisco, Valparaiso, Kingston, and Mont Pefee as late examples;. The damage inland is never so great from earth movement as near the sea, which is my reason for urging the erection of Parliament Buildings on the Moroa Plain (Wairarapa), within an easy hour’s express distance from Wellington, directly the Wainui deviation is made. The contract is not yet out for the buildings. 1 strongly urge Wellington citizens, for their own good, to' have the political capital of the Dominion forty miles inland. The congestion of traffic in the city will be so great directly that life will be constantly sacrificed (I estimate the toll at one life a week, or fifty-two lives in the year at least). Surely Wellington people should be broadminded enough (seeing what has just happened at Westport) to sacrifice any present temporary advantage for tho future safety of the public records of the Dominion. In a great conflagration open spaces do not prevent the flames making a prey- of a whole region. Wo have been fortunate so far and preserved onr public records. But Vulcan keeps knocking at our door, and wo take no notice. Some

day hxj. will give us no warning, and Wellington will find itself a blackened 'ruin. —I am, otc., COLEMAN PHILLIES. Friesland Lodge, Carterton, February 24th.