NEW SEISMOGRAPH

Hokitika Guardian, 18 June 1929, Page 3

NEW SEISMOGRAPH

FOR LOCAL QUAKES

TO BE ORDERED AT ONCE

| By Telegraph, Per Press Association.J

WELLINGTON. June 17

Guided by the experience of to-day’s earthquake the Minister in Charge Research Department Hon. 11. Atmoro of 'the SViet.i’tifie. and (.idustyia' has given instructions for the immediate placing of orders for one or more of the seismographic instruments I'equried Tor the ncurate recording of local disturbances. As Minister-in-fTanr" of the Department controlling the Seimological Office, the Minister said:— T a.m informed by the Government Seismologist that a telegram from Greymouth states there was a local shake there at 7.25 this .morning, hut there are no details. The quake in Wellington shook the seismographs out of order. These are very sensitive instruments, and ai'o specially good for recording distant earthquakes and earthquakes all round the Pacific Ocean are recorded here. Our reports are used to help other observatories to locate earthquakes. Bv this .method we go' maps showing the exact position of the dangerous areas of- -earth unr ••

some distances from New. Zealand, hid when ’nuakes are close to New Zee land, their violence is such that tliev throw the seismograph? out of action. This time the violence wfi's' more than’ usual, and it dislocated two different parts of tile machine. . i- The Minister: “We have also r rough model of a seismograph, the record of which will lie developed tomorrow morning. This will probabl ho a good record. Seismographs Co-' recording local earthquakes are obtain able, and it is hoped to i natal some these in New Zealand, so that the originating centres may he accurately located. It is much more important to New Zealanders that the full informal ion of a local earthquake should be obtained, and our stations will not b e adequately equipped until we are provided with those necessary instruments. Orders will he placed immediately for one or more of these seisniographic instruments required for recording accurately local 'shakos.” Mr Atmore added qtlmt the broadcasting of the wireless -time signal usually sent out at 10.30.a.m., was prevented owing tofdShq. stoppage of the clocks ten minutes' before that time. However, the Government wireless station was asked to broadcast for the information of shipping the fact that no signal had been sent out. Later, wireless time signals were received from -Honolulu and Malabar, and those were checked by observation on the .sun.