EARTHQUAKE FAULTS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIII, 1 August 1929, Page 6

EARTHQUAKE FAULTS

AERIAL SURVEYS KARA ME A AND MOIvIHINUI DBJTItIOTS (By Telegraph—Press Association) WESTPORT, 30lh July. On Monday Captain Buckley, with Mr T. A. Johnston, Public Works Engineer. of Greymouth, made a short aerial (light over Dennislon, where they picked up the Mount William fault. They noted definite slips along this fault, which lies in behind Cascade Creek, Dcnniston. "There was nothing very startling, said Mr Johnston. “When (lying over the mountain we. remarked on li e definite traces of the Mount William fault. The weather was very cloudy and unsuitable for air work. The aeroplane ran into rain over the high country.” Yesterday a more extended trip was made. The aeroplane left North, Baaeh shortly after 10 a.m. and crossed over Seddonville, obtaining a general ' :e\v of the Mokihinui River. They could see the very shattered nature of the country on both branches of l he Mokihinui.' All the country was shattered and scarred. The aeroplane iivoiocdcd over Corbyvale and onwards to Lit tie Wanganui River. They noted on tho way a dam in Fall’s Creek approximately two and a half miles up from the coast where the water was oackcd up for possibly three, parts of a nine; also another dam in Glass Lye *<roei\, about a mile to 'a mile and a half up from the mouth, which it was considered should be investigated. Towards the head of the Little Wanganui a large, slip was noted .under Mount Anaconda which had been previously reported by Messrs Scarlet and Ray. This is a very, extensive slip, and the latter reported there was no danger from it. Apparently it had come down on both sides. This was well upon the Little Wanganuif River. The country, on all the southern tributaries bad slipped, but no dams could be picked out. Visibility was good here. , The aeroplane crossed over about Little Wanganui saddle and Mount Zetland, from which a view __ of tbo whole of the upper part of Karamea River was obtained, and of the Kakapo branch of the Karamea River. The. aeroplane crossed to the north side of Mt. Kendall, 5700 feet, obtaining nearly all the way a good view of the Karamea River. ’They passed to. the north side of Mt. Kendall towards the Roaring Lion branch,. r lhc whole of the country in the upper Karamea River basin is shattered, and numerous slips were noticeable in tbo main river, chicflv between the Leslie and the Kakapo branches. The river was dammed in places, but the water appeared to be getting around / the dams, and so far as could be seen, had cut out a satisfactory channel. Those slips had occurred westward of the Kakapo. The country between this branch and the coast dil -not appear to have suffered anything like the same, extent as the back country. While flying over the high country the average altitude was 8500. Mount Egmont was seen in the distance with its glowing white top. A certain amount of mist partially obscured the view and the cold was fairly severe. On the return journey they passed close to Karamea and were able to study the damage to the main roading system between there and Mokihinui, the aeroplane following the line of the coast. One particularly intei’esting feature of the trip was the picking up of the northern end of the Glasgow fault which is known to run from Seddonville towards New Creek River, near Lyell. As seen from the air the slips on this fault were on a fairly definite line north and south, crossing the Mokihinui River near Seddonville, and judging by the disastrous results to the Corbyvale road would appear to continue northwards towards the point south of Little Wanganui River where the damage to the coastal cliffs would appear to indicate its termination.