RECURRING TREMORS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIV, 10 January 1931, Page 8

RECURRING TREMORS

IN TAKAKA DISTRICT ! 'NO CAUSE FOR ALARM CBjr Telegraph—Special to "The Mail”) . CHRISTCHURCH, 9th January. • .“After such a big earthquake as the ©he in 1929 there are recurring tremors for sometimes as long as ten years. Takaka is a place of loose geological formation, and would feel tremors that would be imperceptible in a country of a harder formation. Experience points .to the conclusion that there need be no fear of another big ’quake in the Takaka district.” That opinion was given today by Mr H. F. Baird, of Christchurch Observatory, who investigated in the district after the big ’quake, and who in addition was brought up in the vicinity and. knows the locality well. “From the observations of residents and the course taken by the earthquake, Mr Baird said, “it is quite possible that the origin of the shocks lay off the north-west coast, ’ and that there was a ‘twin origin’' to the north-west of Golden Bay. Naturally the aftereffects would be felt in such a place as Takaka, which is near the origin, and is of a formation that lends itself to the reception of the. slightest tremors. There is a lot of shihgle under the surface and water is not far down. A parallel case is seen with an outcrop of hard rock in limestone country. With the country around responding to a very slight tremor the rock formation may register none at all, or-only a very slight comparative tremor. There are some diverse geological formations at Takaka. All experience indicates that there is no cause for further »

Mr H. F. Skey, in charge of the Observatory,, is also inclined to agree with the Governmental report on the subject, which stated that the tremors might be regarded in a fqrvourable way as relieving any strain that might linger after the,big ’quake. “That is what is mdicMe'cL and that in surely what we. want to' believe,’* said Mr Skey. “It is not established, however, that the tremors are not due to some merely surface contraction, which of course would not be dangerous in the least.”