H.—34.

The following is a monthly summary of earthquakes reported felt during 1939 :—•

The following list gives some particulars of the most important New Zealand earthquakes in 1939 :—

95

Number of Earthquakes reported felt. Maximum Month, 1939. Whole of Intensity Locality of Maximum. North South Both S (Tl.-F.). Island. Island. Islands. Ne ," ea ~ land. January .. 17 9 1 25 5 Gisborne, Brothers Lighthouse, Puysegur Point. February .. .. 6 5 0 11 7 Southern Hawke's Bay. March .. .. .. 6 4 0 10 4 New Plymouth, Farewell Spit, Otago, and Southland. -April .. .. 10 6 1 15 5 Brothers Lighthouse, Kahurangi Point. May .. .. 18 2 I 19 6 Wanganui. June . . .. .. 5 1 0 6 5 Whakatane. July . . .. .. 9 8 1 16 6 Opotiki, Hanmer Springs. August .. .. .. 7 1 0 8 6 Cromwell. September .... 4 0 0 4 4 Wanganui. October .. .. 12 4 1 15 6 Naseby. November .... 14 4 1 17 5 Wanganui, Cape Jackson. December .. .. 9 4 2 11 5 Wanganui. Totals .. ..117 48 8 157

Approximate Epicentre. New Zealand Mean Time „ , of Shock. I ,p te,^ y Bemarks. Latitude 8. Longitude E. ' 1939. d. h. m. February 10 20 07 42 -1 172-3 6 Felt in north-west portion of South Island, with maximum at Murchison. February 11 03 05 45 168 6 Felt widely in southern part of South Island, with maximum at Milford Sound and Tuatapere. Deeper than normal (see inset map). February 24 10 50 40-3 176-4 7 Felt in southern half of North Island, with maximum in southern Hawke's Bay (see inset map). March 5 08 16 (M i 1 f o r d S o u n d 4 Felt fairly extensively in southern half of Region) South Island. May 13 02 25 40-2 175 5-6 Maximum intensity about Wanganui; also felt slightly about Cook Strait. July 4 00 51 38 177f 6 Felt in East Cape district and in Hawke's Bay. Probably deeper than normal. July 26 05 16 42| 172| 6 Maximum intensity at Hanmer Springs; also felt at Christchurch. August 29 15 31 39-J 175 5 Felt in most parts of Taranaki, with maximum at Whangamomona. Also felt at Wanganui. September 1 01 51 45 167 6 Felt generally in Otago, and in parts of Southland, with maximum at Milford Sound and Cromwell. November 3 00 58 40-1 175-0 5-6 Felt in southern part of North Island and about Cook Strait, with maximum at Wanganui. December 10 06 26 41 176 4 Felt in southern part of North Island and about Cook Strait, with maximum at Castlepoint. December 31 06 42 42 178 5 Felt in eastern and southern parts of North Island, with maximum at Wanganui. Probably deeper than normal.