THE PACIFIC.

Hokitika Guardian, 26 July 1924, Page 4

THE PACIFIC.

<C> j EAIUIIQI'AKE ZONES. i

The views of frulessor Sir Kdpeworth David on the recent violent , earthquake near .Macquarie Island arc especially interesting, 110 L only hoviiu.se ot Ins intimate knowledge ol the island, hut also because ol the < distinguished place that lie occupied as ■ ;i peologist. '

In speaking of the significant features of the earthquake shocks reported yesterday, he expresses the hope that it may indicate that a safety valve has heen temporarily found for cumulated stresses of the earth’s crust which may cause earthquake shocks within the general region of New Zealand. Although there is no absolute guarantee that it will have done so bir Kdgeworth David adds that ofie hopes thill the recent disturbance! will recure immunity to New Zealand from severe earthquake shocks for some little time, at any rate, in the future. 11l If D AND SKA I, Ul’K. ; ‘'.Macquarie Island, which l)r K. K. I'igot. of Ifiverview. considers to he clo-e to, if not actually at, the origin of the iveent extraordinarily violent earthquake shock, is situated about fkll miles south of Tasmania, and is .‘lightly nearer' to New Zealand,” said Sir Kdgeworth David. "It is administered from Tasmania, as, although nearer to New Zealand, it is more difficult of access from the latter mi nc»omit of the fact that it lies well within the path of violent westerly winds, so that, for shipping approaching it from New Zealand, strong ad-ver-e winds have to he encountered. Ihe island is wholly volcanic. Tt is about I’ll miles in length, and about three miles in width. Il consists oi a bigli plateau, rising to fully 1000 ft ! a hove sea level. Trees are wholly absent. Ihe island is clothed with a dense green mantle of vegetation form-' cd nl high tussock grass anil the Kerguelen cabbage. Those form good bidder lor sheep, which have occasionally been taken In the island to he fattened there.

" I lie island,” proceeded Sir Edge •\ortli David, "is ;i wonderland I'o liirds it lid seal liie. l''ormerly, it wa lrc<|iieiited liy miuicrniis fur seals ••"id it: litany its l>(!,(!0!) skills won obtained there hotwot'ii |!H() mid 1013 Itut uiilditiiiiiilely the valuable fur sea is now practically extinct there. It i it yivat breeding ground for the larg est variety ot seal. Known as the set elephant. The bull sea elephant at tains a length of t’tift. Sea leopard.' are also occasionally found. The I'll ol both is valueless, but numbers o sea elephants have been Killed for th. sake nf ( i licit' blubber oil. The shelter ed parts of the island near the sea shore are tenanted by literally million of different Kinds of penguins, eon spieuous among wbieli is the build some large bird Known a> tin l Kill*, peii"uiu. which is peculiar to Maerpiar ie Island. Attempts have been maih • for some years past to establish ai industry in aiiimnl oil, by Killing am melting down the fat of the sea elephants and of the royal penguins: am a- many as 7".1 sea elephants, and .'it It >.('!!( I royal penguins have been slaughtered I<• r tins purpose in a single season. dkstiioyinc native iai'.n.v. Sir Edgeworth David proceeded to say that, ebielly through the ctierget ie advocacy ol Sir Douglas Man son. this lanielilable desti net inn nl tlm nnlive fauna, which, at the same linr’ was really profiting no one. had now been elided eonseipiviit upon the action [•if the Tn: limn mii (ioveruunnl. ••The I birds of i lie island," lie went on to j say. "have now im natural enemies exi ejit a llillliber nf wild eats, descended firm li'iinost ie eats, mtrodined by visitieg navigator-." ' Sir Douglas Ala'vson, when leading bis. expedition Adeiie I,and. in the '■ n t,, 11 t o . established a bo: and am !••■■ s .lation at .Macipiario Island, and valuable no'it or. logical data were sent daily to the tenlrnl Weather I’ureau 111 \i: Ibolirne until, owing la the exigencies i.f the war. the service was disemitiiif.ed." Sir Edgeworth David said that, as till' as was Known, the island, at the tin im til. was fptito uninhabited. "This recent terrible eat tht|Uii!;e sbiieh." be tallied, "will, no ilotlbl, have spread extreme panic, anti perhaps eau-ed some de-trilel ion, among the penguin- am! -ea eieplmnt's. It w ill, in pa-siie.:. I e interest ini* to see j whether ally small tidal waves from this eartlupiahe reach New Zealand or southern Australian or Tasmanian purls. A SAFETY VALVE. ".Mae-ptarie Island." Sir Edgeworth David n marked, "lies nil a great line ol ea rt li(|itit Ke eraeK or geological iaitlt. extending northwards along the w est eoitsi of New Zealand, and thus binning the .south-eastern liottadary of j li e Tasmtin Sea, It is prohalile that; there is a second eraeK, branching off I ruin .Maeouario Island and crossing (n ilm east side of New Zealand. and passing thence to the east of the tob itttie zone ol the Ixeriutllldee and Tonga islands.

"Indeed, il may be -aid about tin whole of the Paeilie Ocean, that it i> tinged round by earthquake and volcanic zones. There may lie two signiliiHiit points- about this last tremendous disturbance. Mir-t, it probably indicates a slight subsidence—and a few feet are quite enough to bring about such a violent earthquake, shock—in

■ the south-eastern llnof ol the Tasman I .Sea. If so, this indicates that the 1 eastern lido of the Tasman Sea is still liable to periodic subsidences, whereas the western isde of it. on the shore* of which we in eastern Australia dwell, hits become, fortunately !?ir its, relatively quiescent.’’ “In the sociiiu] place," proceeded Sir! Edgeworth David, “one hopes that it may indicate that a safety valve has been temporarily found there for cumulated stresses of the earth's crust, which may cause onrtlujtinko slmck.* within the general region of New Zealand and the shallow rock platform on which it rests." "During a period of so much earthquake intensity through which the world lias passed since the great Tokio disturbance last year, until now. any countries which hinder the Pacific, and which have not yet been visited by earthquake shocks, may naturally feel apprehensive of such a visitation. Due hopes that the recent great disturbance. although, of course, there is no absolute guarantee that it will have done so. will secure immunity to Xew Zealand from severe earthquake shocks for some little time."