H.— 22

8

which was started on the Bth February, 1924, seventy-eight earthquakes were recorded. Particulars of the numbers of earthquakes registered on both machines are given in the following table , Milne Milne-Shaw Date. c . , ~ . , Seismograph. Seismograph. 1924—January .. .. .. .. .. . . 15 February .. .. . . .. .. .. 9 5 March .. .. .. .. . . . . 6 6 April .. .. . . .. .. . . . . 14 15 May .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 12 13 June .. .. .. .. .. . . 4 4 July .. . . .. .. . . .. 7 8 August .. .. . . . .. .. 5 7 September .. .. .. . . .. .. 4 6 October . . .. .. .. . . .. 2 3 November .. .. .. .. .. .. .2 5 December .. .. . . .. .. .. 6 6 86 78 Another Milne-Shaw horizontal component seismograph has been ordered, and will be used to record the east-west component; inquiries are being made for a suitable vertical seismograph. The twin-boom Milne seismograph at Fiji has continued in action, and the records are posted regularly to this Observatory, where they are of value in supplementing the records obtained at Wellington. Officers of the Post and Telegraph Department and private observers have given valuable assistance in the reporting of earthquakes felt by them in New Zealand. The total number of earthquake shocks felt locally for the year 1924 was seventy ; sixty of these were felt in the North Island and ten in the South Island. The maximum intensity of the shocks felt in 1924 was 7on the Rossi-Forel scale. The maximum intensity of shocks felt in 1921 and 1922 was 8, and the maximum intensity of the shocks for 1923 was 6 on the same scale. Thirty-six earthquake reports were received from officers of the Post and Telegraph Department, thirteen reports from other observers, and seventy-three reports were obtained from the newspapers. An article on earthquakes in New Zealand was prepared for and published in the New Zealand Year-book. Maps have been prepared showing in considerable detail the distribution and intensity of the earthquake shocks felt in New Zealand ; these are now being made ready for publication. Photographic copies of the records of the earthquake of the 11th November, 1922, were sent to Professor Bailey Willis, Stanford University, California, and of the earthquake of the 26th June, 1924, to Mr. James B. Macelwane, University of California, as those gentlemen were making special investigations into the earthquakes. The work in seismology has increased very considerably since the new Milne-Shaw seismograph has been running ; and, in addition to the technical reports on the earthquakes, contact photographic prints are made of all important records, and are sent regularly to Professor H. H. Turner, President of the Seismology Section of the International Geodetic and Geophysical Union. Publications."—The following Observatory publications have been issued during the year Bulletin No. 54 —" The Origin of Planets," by A. C. Gifford, M.A., F.R.A.S. Bulletin No. 55 —" Report of Government Astronomer and Seismologist, 1923-24." Bulletin No. 56 —" The Mountains of the Moon," by A. C. Gifford, M.A., F.R.A.S. Bulletin E. 3—" Earthquake Reports, New Zealand," for January, February, and March, 1924. Bulletin E. 4—" Earthquake Reports, New Zealand," for the year 192]. As in past years, the Observatory is again indebted to individuals and to institutions for valuable gifts of publications. Some of these are presented in exchange for the bulletins. Alexander Turnbull Library. Cataloguing.—Twenty-four thousand volumes have now been classified, numbered, and placed on the shelves. The whole of these volumes deal with Pacific literature, most of those dealt with during the year being pamphlets of miscellaneous dates, many dating back to the earliest days of settlement in Australia and New Zealand. About a thousand volumes were sent for binding. Addition.s. —Nearly six hundred books have been added during the year (including about two hundred donations), among them one Chinese, two Danish, seventeen Dutch, two French, three German, six Greek, twelve Latin, three Spanish, and thirteen Pacific Island dialects. The additions were of a similar nature to those of previous years. Donations. —The following are among the donations of the year : M. Crompton Smith, papers (manuscript and printed), pamphlets, Maori newspapers, &c., belonging to his late father, S. Percy Smith ; Mrs. Mason, up-to-date medical library (about one hundred and thirty volumes) belonging to her late husband, Dr. Mason; Lady Leigh-Wood, Wedgewood medallion of Captain Cook; W. F. Barraud, forty-six original etchings, chiefly of New Zealand subjects ; Mrs. B. Trapp, Carterton, photo copies of four drawings of Wellington by her great-grandfather, W. Mein-Smith, first Chief Surveyor of Wellington; H. Hamilton, manuscript letters of Darwin, Tennyson, Huxley, Owen, and others, and many original drawings by J. Buchanan of New Zealand plants, &c. ; F. P. Wilson, large waterOolour drawing of Lyttelton in 1861 ; Maggs Bros., London, six morocco-bound volumes of their