302 Transactions. 



owing to the absence of the observer). The hypothesis that seems to agree 

 most nearly with the times, and with the evidence of stopped clocks and 

 other notes of direction, is that the principal point of maximum disturb- 

 ance was situated about 155 miles from Christchurch and twenty to twenty- 

 five miles west-south-west from Westport, and that the epicentral area 

 extended north-north-east and south-south-west from this point about 

 fifteen to twenty-five miles in each direction. 



Direction (as stated by observers). — Nelson, north-east to south-west ; 

 Charleston, west to east ; Westport, south-west to north-east ; Buller 

 Gorge, south-west. 



Duration. — 'Very variously stated, varying from 4 seconds to 1 minute ; 

 the best observations, by two engineers who specially timed the shock, 

 give the time of the principal vibrations as 10 to 12 seconds. 



Effects. — -Westport : Movable objects overturned, crockery and bottles 

 broken generally ; plaster fell from ceilings and walls in some buildings ; 

 numerous chimneys destroyed or damaged (mostly old chimneys, according 

 to some observers) ; brick post-office cracked, south-west wing moved |in. 

 on its base towards south-west, and metal down-pipe was bent ; loose rocks 

 fell from cliffs ; cracks were formed in bridge embankment at Orawaiti ; 

 slips formed on Buller Road and on railway ; narrow fissures opened in 

 made ground ; rents and fissures on beach parallel to coast, especially 

 between Cape Foulwind and Tauranga Bay ; shock felt with same intensity 

 for about fifteen miles each way along coast from Cape Foulwind (Morgan) ; 

 walls running east-and-west cracked right through ; shop-windows broken 

 in street running north by west to south by east ; clocks stopped facing 

 south-west and north-east ; tidal wave reported (doubtful, it was a spring 

 tide) ; preceded by boom, as if of blast or explosion, and accompanied by 

 rumbling. Waimangaroa : Clock facing north-east stopped. Charleston : 

 Doors and windows rattled ; lamps and crockery thrown down ; rock-falls 

 from hillsides ; crack in ground on north beach ; rumbling 5 or 6 seconds 

 before, also afterwards. Hokitika : Clocks stopped ; rumbling. Grey- 

 mouth : Clock facing east stopped ; bell of town clock chimed, also fire- 

 bell ; a few movable objects fell ; two chimneys thrown down. Reef ton : 

 Movable objects thrown down ; bricks dislodged. Murchison : Two clocks 

 stopped, facing north. Lyell : Clock stopped, facing east by north. Moki- 

 hinui : Clocks facing east and west stopped. Cape Foulwind : Cliff-fall ; 

 all jars fell off shelves ; &c. 



Previous Shocks. — -16th March, 1912 (see above) ; 12th December, 1912, 

 about 8 p.m., with rumble. 



After-shocks. — -I have received records of fifty-two (Mr. P. G. Morgan, 

 Director of the Geological Survey, says seventy after-shocks were reported). 

 Those reported to me occurred as follows : 22nd February, 16 ; 23rd Feb- 

 ruary, 7 ; 24th February, 7 ; 25th February, 5 ; 26th February, 2 ; 27th 

 February, 2 ; 2nd March. 2 ; 5th March, 2 ;' 6th March, 1 ; 8th" March 2 ; 

 10th March, 3 ; 12^h March, 1 ; 15th March, 2. Most of the shocks, 

 according to most observers, were immediately preceded by loud booms. 

 Of twenty-six observations actually taken by Mr. Morgan, twelve were 

 shocks with rumbles, seven shocks without rumbles, and seven rumbles 

 without perceptible shaking. ^WWWWWWWiWW WW WW W P " ' 



WQ[ [Much valuable assistance was given to me in the collection of data by 

 Mr. P. G. Morgan ; also by Mr. T. Thompson, County Engineer, Westport, 

 ar*d by many private correspondents.] 



