Volcanic Disturbances

Hokitika Guardian, 28 October 1921, Page 4

Volcanic Disturbances

AN OBSERVATORY WANTED. WELLINGTON, Oct. 2(i. Tlic importance of having means lay which to predict. distal bailees in the volcanic district of New Zealand, and i lie urgent' need lor an obscrvatoiy , particularly in view of the increased activity at .Mount Ruapehu, was stressed at the annual meeting ol the Board of Science and Art to-day. L’rolessor Marsdcn, during the course of a statement regarding a \ oleanologica! Observatory, urged that a special type of instrument was required in Wellington in order to obtain an accurate forecast of earthquakes.

The chairman referred to a report on the proposed Volcanic Observatory made by the acting-director of the Dominion .Museum (Mr .1. \\ . McDonald). In this it was stated that, as a consequence of the visit of Dr daggar to Now Zealand in 1920, proposals outlined by him for a Volcanic Observatory had been submitted to the Government. The New Zealand volcanic district, extending from l!iia.]ieliu to While Island was in constant activity at one or other of the numerous vents. \ iewed therefore, merely as a policy of insur„hoc. the erection and maintenance ol n volcano observatory in this distiict was moie than justified. The selection oI IPO most suitable site, the report ctmi imii'd. was a malter of coiisulerlilc dilliculty owing to the distance between the ends of the -line.” Ruapehu and While Island. It was possible that an observatory situated about the middle, near Tarawera, would tail to receive the minor shocks and liemorx originating at either end ol the lino. Before any site was finally solute I. it was desirable that preliminary experiments should ho made at two or mote points, such as Waimarino and Rotorua, to determine the strength and character of the seismic phenomena and llio contros t»t activity.

in reply to the chairman the lion G. M. Thomson), Professor Mar-ik-.i stated that the apparatus Id he built in Wellington, and the test and general observations made here, alter which testing could be done in other parts of New Zealand, ineluding the •■line" from Rua|ichu to White Island, lie went on to point out that by means of forecasting earthquakes a whole loti u had lii'oii saved itt Japan. Ihe icsuli- ill America were also very snlislaetory. An instillment lot measuring ijp of the ground was inquired in Wellington, as there was llm likelil 1 of another log shake at some time or other. By the precautionary measiue suggested, siti-li an event could be predu ted. •■Tin- evidence is pretty eleai, -aid I’mlessor Kasterlield, "that the m"v jlv i- increasing at Ruapehu. Then’ wen external sign, which showed tin-. Ruapehu u;i> beeoming more and more ~ 111 le I* 11 I "i.iri'-t s. Panics Ut'ie going lip the iii"lllll.iill llnon gl eel t lb" «inter. 11 it "as a ease ol the probability of a blow up llaue. weoiiglit to make observations at as ea 11\ a date as | lie si l j|o, ” Mr I’. S. Morgan pniii’eil out that when Ruapehu wa- first vtsited bti ot fit veal s ago tlieie was no sign of aejivitv, lint since then a lake had lornie.i. A. ii iiiiiga'i inn was very neeos--at.'. Tin.. Hoard then diseitsseil m eoniluitiee the quest ion ol finding money to i arrv out the proposals.