BESBARCH COMMITTEES. 531 



In 1848 the shocks appeared to begin suddenly, and gradu- 

 ally to die away. 



Earthquakes in New Zealand. (Letter from Mr. S. Vennell, 

 Tauherenika^i, Wairarajm.) 



Seeing the accounts of severe earthquakes in other countries 

 has set me thinking of them in this country. I am an old 

 settler. I came here in the early part of 1841, so have had 

 some experience of their terrible power. I do not wish to 

 alarm people, but facts must be faced, and, as there are some 

 thousands of colonists w4io have arrived here since 1855, the 

 year we felt the heaviest earthquake, I should like to caution 



them against the insane building with bricks 



I will try and tell you what I know to be facts regarding 

 the terrible power of our earthquakes. In the most forcible 

 one — that of 1855 — the mountain near Masterton was literally 

 rent in twain, and remains to be seen this day. The Maroa 

 Plain, near Grey town, was rent for several miles, one part 

 subsiding about two feet; and the whole of the country was 

 upheaved many feet. If an earthquake can rend a solid moun- 

 tain asunder, how will bricks and mortar fare ? I myself saw 

 the earth open twice three or four feet wide, right across a pad- 

 dock and the road, and shut again with a fearful snap. The 

 road, being made ground, sank nearly three feet where the earth 

 opened, leaving one part so much higher than the other. There 

 was hardly a sound chimney to be seen ; they were either 

 down or shaken to their foundations. Many people may 

 imagine, because we have had no heavy shakes since 1855, 

 that they have ceased, or that we shall only have very slight 

 ones. I certainly should be very thankful if they had, but I 

 cannot believe in anything so pleasant. Nature's laws will 

 have their course. The Natives tell us they have always had 

 earthquakes — some very heavy, and many slight ones, but 

 seldom dangerous with proper precautions. My advice is. 

 Build good strong, well-braced wood and iron houses, not too 

 high, and there is, perhaps, very little to fear. When you 

 feel a shake, keep away from the chimneys, and also the marble 

 mantelpieces and any heavy piece of furniture. Do not run 

 outside the house (unless it is built of bricks), but keep in the 

 middle of the room, or in the passage. The only person killed 

 in 1855 perished from the mantelpiece falling across him and 

 nearly cutting him in two ; he died from loss of blood in about 

 five minutes. I heard from persons whose word I could rely 

 upon, and who were present, of the terrible earthquakes which 

 occurred near Auckland about 1834 or 1835, that lasted nearly 

 three months off and on, the earth feeling as if you were stand- 

 ing on a large jelly. The Natives threw themselves down and 



