TKANSACTIONS OF SECTION A. 43 



earthquake attached to it with an origin south-east of Otago 

 Peninsula.* 



It goes without saying that seismographs are an essential in 

 the exact determination of the facts of earthquake phenomena : 

 we should need at least eight in New Zealand, and there would 

 be very little difficulty in pointing out the best stations for them, 

 or in getting qualified persons to take charge of them. The 

 total cost of obtaining these instruments would not exceed about 

 £600. Is it too much to hope that at no distant date either the 

 Government of the colony or some generous private individual 

 may venture this moderate sum in the cause of science ? Mean- 

 while much may be done, far more than most people are will- 

 ing to grant, with the means at our disposal. Since the begin- 

 ning of December, 1889, 1 have had forms printed, and supplied 

 to the Telegraph officers at about fifty stations in New Zealand, 

 a specimen of which I place before you. By the courtesy 

 of Dr. Lemon, Superintendent of the Telegraph Department, 

 these have been filled in and forwarded to me after each earth- 

 quake from all places at which the shock has been felt. Many 

 of the officers exhibit considerable intelligence in filling up the 

 forms ; the greater completeness of the records is shown by the 

 fact that, though the year 1890 was undoubtedly a barren year 

 comparatively, yet the number of shocks recorded (forty-seven) 

 is far above the average ; and, again, the data of a compara- 

 tively slight earthquake (7th March, 1890) were sufficient to 

 determine beyond reasonable doubt the epicentrum and velo- 

 city. 



Though I have failed hitherto to determine exactly the 

 origins of the Cook Strait earthquakes, that is due partly to the 

 special difficulty of the case, and partly to the fact that the 

 earthquakes of that region during the year were all of so slight 

 a character. I hope, however, by an increase of the number of 

 stations to completely surround the sources of disturbance, and 

 so to hunt down the earthquake as to be able to determine the 

 position and extent of the epicentric areas. The same remarks 

 apply to the earthquakes whose origins are in the Otago lake 

 region. 



The assistance afforded in the choice of new stations is not 

 the least of the purposes served by including on the map what 

 I have called approximate, prohahlc, and doubtful epicentra. 



It appears to me to be too early to attempt to frame theories 

 in regard to New Zealand earthquakes. Any classification of 



* I might venture a conjecture that the Oamaru shocks, and perhaps 

 the Otago lake ones too, are secondary to others proceeding from a region 

 at some distance to the south-east. This may seem rather a wild guess to 

 those who have not gone through all the records, but it would explain 

 much that at present is inexplicable. We need, however, much more evi- 

 dence before we can speak positively. 



