THE EARTHQUAKE NEAR CONSTAT TINOPLE.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1521, 17 August 1912, Page 14

THE EARTHQUAKE NEAR CONSTAT TINOPLE.

Sir,—Following on after Messina, San Francisco, Valparaiso, and Kingston, wo hear'now of severe damage to tho towns on the Sea of Marmora—Ganos and Sharkoi being coast towns, lying between the Hellespont and tho Bospherous. All great earthquake damage takes place on, or very near tho sea coast, as there must be water to incite seismic action. Tour Traders will notice what vast earthquake daniago has occurred to "these different coast towns during only tho past few years. At any moment Wellington's turn may come again, as it did iu tho middle of last century. Is it wise to go on erecting huge Parliament and Governmental buildings in a city that every ono knows is liable to severe earthquake damage? Why close our eyes to what is happening elsewhere? Are our public records safe in Wellington? Surely not! Now add to this danger the further danger of hostilo attack from on enemy's ship in the Strait in tiino of war. Would it not therefore bo wiso to reniovo our political capital inland, away from both dangers, and not to erect the proposed Parliament Buildings in Wellington? Moreover, Wellington was never laid out for the capital city, and has no space already for tho necessary Government buildings. What will happen when there are a quarter of million people to provide for? Wo shall be worse congested than *Sydney.—l am, etc., COLEMAN PHILLIPS. , Holstein Lodge, Carterton, • August 13, 1012.