ANOTHER “SHAKE” IN WELLINGTON

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18837, 14 April 1923, Page 10

ANOTHER “SHAKE” IN WELLINGTON

(Peb United Press Association.) WELLINGTON, April 13. There was a prolonged “earthquake at about 3.25 this morning. No damage is reported. PREDICTIONS OF AN EARTHQUAKE DIVINER. (From Our Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, April 13.. During a recent lecturing visit to Wellington, Mr F. R. Field, who, by the way, is a brother of Mr W. 11. Field, M.P., and takes a keen interest in astronomy, predicted that a mild shock of earthquake would happen in Wellington about April 12. To-day Mr Field stated that privately he had told some of his friends this week that there would bo a gentle shock on Tuesday night. “I did not feel it myself,” said Mr Field, “but was informed on the following day (Wednesday) that there had been a shako in the early hours of that morning. I was more inclined to think then that this later shock of this morning would occur after midnight, and had actually told people privately that tho shook predicted previously for the 12th would occur after midnight There is nothing really wonderful aboiit predicting earthquakes. It is as simple as aBC. First of all I found by comparing tho solar records of the past 150 years with the conspicuous earthquakes of the same period <hat earthquakes invariably occurred during the particular part of tho sun’s circle of variation, which amounts <■ to rather more than 11 years. Having found this, I knew that an earthquake season foi the world was now Starting, and I ventured to predict earthquakes for South America, Southern Europe, Now Zealand, and Southern Europe again Then believing that further shocks would occur in New Zealand, I had grave fears for the safety of Wellington. Local investigations, however, indicate that serious earthquakes hero are not likely to occur, because there is unmistakable evidence that tho earth’s crust at this part of New Zealand has been rising for a very long time past, and jj<j serious earthquakes can occur again apparently until the crust begins to fall. It is practically certain that the crust can never fall again to tho extent of tho 95ft that it has recently risen, tltill we may expect, to find at some time in the future that some gradual fall will take place, and this will come about through the disturbance of the earth’s crust elsewhere. Ir: this part of the world there is unmistakable connection between solar activity and the working of tho earth’s interior as well as our atmosphere. The excessive discharges of solar electricity, accountable for this, do not come from the sun-spots or faculas themselves, but from tho enormous flames or prominences that rise from these things upwards through the lower insulating atmosphere of the sun. These sun-spots and faoulas may be seen upon tho sun’s face for about a week before any effect from them is felt upon the earth, and tho parts of the earth affected will depend upon tho latitude of the solar disturbances." Last night Mr Field’s earthquake duly came along, and roused everybody but Mr Field himself from sleep. It is true that it was a few hours late in arriving, but it arrived. The shako did no damage. It lasted about 30 seconds, beginning suddenly and gradually dying away. The Government seismologist (Dr C. E. Adams) stated that it was quite impossible to hazard any opinion as to the point of origin of the shako, which wtra not recorded so well as the Friday night shock felt about fl month ago, two days prior to the big quake. The direction of the motion was also difficult to detect, and was not apparent from bis record instruments. One machine showed a slight tilt of the ground to tho south, but the second, which was at right angles to it, showed nothing definite. SHOOK FELT IN GHRISTCHUROK <Peb United Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, April 13. An earthquake was ‘recorded at Christchurch at 3.28 a.m., but tho shock was only slight, and no damage is roporVsd. The earthquake was not altogether unexpected. The Government Meteorologist in Christchurch (Mr M. H. Skey) states that calculations based on previous earthquakes showed that a shook would, probably occur at midnight on April 12, which was last night. _______