BIG EARTHQUAKES

Wairarapa Daily Times, 20 July 1934, Page 5

BIG EARTHQUAKES

SEISMOLOGIST’S ERROR SUPPOSED OCCUR IN N.Z. PresH Association Electric Telegraph—Copyright LONDON, Thursday. Mr Shaw, seismologist, recorded two earthquakes of which lie says the severest was in the Antipodes, close to New Zealand. “They may have happened in the Pacific Ocean bed,” he said, “but the possibility that they occurred in New Zealand itself cannot be overlooked. ’ ’ RECORDED AT WELLINGTON. MANY MILES FROM DOMINION. WELLINGTON, Thursday. Dr. C. E. Adams, Dominion Seismologist, referring to Mr Sliaw’s record of two earthquakes in the Antipodes, said excellent records had been secured of both earthquakes on the seismological instruments at Kelburn. The first occurred on 18th July, at 1.20 pan., New Zealand mean time and the second on 19tli Juply at 7.16 a.m. The first was about 7700 miles away from New Zealand. Notice of this earthquake was cabled from the Kew Observatory, stating that it was about five thousand miles away in the Pacific. Calculations made with the aid of local records showed that one quake must have occurred somewhere in Central America. The second was closer. Nevertheless it was two thousand miles away from New Zealand. It was difficult to understand how Mr Shaw came to be two thousand miles out in his estimate. The records were quite distinctive and they represented the biggest earthquakes that had been recorded for some time. However neither was anywhere near New Zealand and it was unfortunate that this country was being credited with them. — (P.A.) RECORD AT KEW. LONDON, Wednesday. A severe earthquake was recorded at Kew Observatory, London, at 1 hour 48 minutes 29 seconds G.M.T. (Greenwich Mean Time). The records indicate that the shock was about 5800 miles away, probably in the Pacific Ocean off Ecuador. —(British Official Wireless). QUAKE IN AUSTRALIA. NOT MUCH DAMAGE. (Received Friday, 10.15 a.m.) SYDNEY, This Day. An earth tremor at Wauchope, on the north coast, yesterday is believed to have been associated with the earthquake referred to yesterday. Wauchope residents reported that crockery rocked on shelves. A number of windows were broken.