’QUAKE PHENOMENA

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 770, 17 September 1929, Page 7

’QUAKE PHENOMENA

STARTLING ROCK-FALLS ON WEST COAST GEOLOGIST’S RESEARCHES The opinion that the huge falls of rock in the earthquake shaken belt of the West Coast, emphasised in startling fashion the need for careful geological consideration'of the location of dwellings in areas where there' is any possibility of landslips, is held by Professor J. E. Bartrum, of Auckland University College. J7> ECOGNISING the big field for geological research presented by the recent upheaval. Professor Bartrum spent his vacation in the shaken areas of Westport, Nelson and Murchison. In a brief report of his researches presented to the* College Council yesterday, the professor shed interesting light on the effects of the disturbances. Professor Bartrum states: — " “Much of the route between Nelson and Murchison and the whole of that along the present circuit from Murchison to Westport by way of the Warwick and Rahu saddles was new ground to me, so that from this point of view alone the trip was most instructive. “The land-slides and stream-block-ages of the shaken areas are everywhere on a very large scale, and are of particular interest« in that they illustrate not only the severity of the recent earthquake vibrations, but also the very close i relation that exists between rock hardness and structure and the imminence of landslides from such rock. “The scale of the movements in the present instance could not well have been foreseen, but. had the possibility of the occurrence of earthquakes been kept in mind, it would have been possible to predict the location of quite a number of the major rock falls and mud-flows. “The so-called White’s Greek fault movement near Newton Flat on the Buller River below Murchison was examined, and proved to be of most unusual interest. with its clear-cut continuous dislocation of as much as 15 feet. “From Westport I made a hurried visit to the coastal uplift north of Mokihinui River.” he continued. “This will probably be ranked in time to come as one of the most interesting earth adjustments geologists have yet been privileged to see in action.” Professor Bartrum announced lie did not intend writing liis observations, as Messrs. Ongley and Fyfe, of the New Zealand Geological Survey Department, were preparing a report on the phenomena. based on more careful study of the affected areas than he was able to make..