DANGER OF QUAKES.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20374, 3 July 1934, Page 14

DANGER OF QUAKES.

New Zealand as Susceptible as Japan.

RESEARCH DISCOVERIES

New Zealand must be classed with such regions as Ital}', Japan and the west coast of America as a country subject to seismic disturbances of major intensity, states a report by the president of the Royal Society of New Zealand (Professor R. Speight), following research work to ascertain New Zealand’s degree of susceptibility to earthquakes of great intensity. The conclusions reached were: (1) There was ample evidence of the occurrence of earth movements which must have been accompani '•d by potentially destructive earthquakes in geologically very recent times at centres distributed throughout the length of the main mountain axis of New Zealand and over the central plateau of the North Island. (2) The records of very severe earthquakes within historical times covered practically the same area. The more frequent occurrence of severe earthquakes within recent times in the middle portions of the Dominion might give the impression that, though those parts were liable to destructive shocks, such was not the case with the northern and southern extremities. A critical analysis of the position, however, indicated that it was unsafe to consider any part as immune from their effects.' Doubtless there were some slight variations in the risk in different localities, but they were impossible to define, the report continues. False Sense of Security.

Between 1855 and 1929 New Zealand was almost free from destructive earthquakes. The period of immunity bred a sense of security and there were practically no precautions taken against earthquake. Into this peace the Murchison earthquake came as a rude awakening. The records of the past were then examined more carefully, and it became clear that, in the days before intensive settlement but still within the experience of the white man. manysevere earthquakes had occurred. Having seen the effects of the disturbances at Arthur’s Pass and Murchison, geologists were able to recognise the effects of recent earthquakes in many features of the land, the interpretation of which had previously escaped them. The Hawke’s Eay earthquake finally convinced the scientific community at least that the Dominion should be classed with such countries as'ltaly, Japan and California as subject to disastrous earth movements.

The Plawke’s Bay ’quake was the first in New Zealand to be accompanied by appalling losses of life and property. It showed that, were one of the main centres to be visited by a disaster of that magnitude, it would be accompanied by losses that would be fearful to contemplate. It also showed that such losses were almost entirely avoidable. Had buildings in Napier r*nd Hastings been designed to resist damage by earthquake and to prevent the spread of fire, the destruction would have been reduced to a small fraction of that which actually occurred. Parliament’s Inactivity.

Following the Hawke’s Bay ’quake the Government appointed an expert committee to draft regulations for the construction of buildings and a Buildings Construction Bill was introduced to Parliament in 1931. Owing to the actions of a few individuals, the Bill had been shelved. It was again placed on the Parliamentary Order Paper in December, 1932, and was abandoned without discussion towards the end of the session.

In October, 1933, a deputation which had the backing of scientists and the technical bodies concerned with the building trade had waited on the Prime Minister urging that the Bill be proceeded with. He had agreed to reintroduce the Bill, but for reasons beyond the knowledge of the society the Bill was again dropped. One of the objections to the Bill was that it would prove costly, but those best qualified to know said that the cost would be trifling. The greater part of it would be recovered in reduced insurance rates.