Cnawronp.— Geology of the North Island of New Zealand. 827 
the Hawke Bay Province, and considerable local changes of level there 
appear to have taken place. A description of several of these earthquakes 
may be found in Taylor's work, page 226 et seq. 
The natives have traditions of many earthquakes having happened before 
the arrival of the settlers. 
Earthquakes are generally looked upon as the manifestation of a destruc- 
tive force, whereas, if rightly considered, they indicate a great conservative 
power, which balances the relation of land and water on the surface of the 
globe, and it may not be out of place to remark, that in many countries 
subject to their effects we find the ancient seats of civilization. In the East 
we find these in China and Japan, in India and Mesopotamia, all earthquake 
countries. In Europe and Africa, the old haunts of arts, science, and philo- 
sophy—Egypt, Greece, and Italy—are earthquake countries. In America 
the highest civilization to which the old race attained was reached by the 
Aztecs of Mexico and the subjects of the Incas of Peru, both races inhabiting 
earthquake countries “par excellence” of the American continent. 
The most fertile lands of the Southern Hemisphere are those which 
are and have been subjected to great igneous and earthquake action; and 
the varied outline, and in consequence the well-watered and fertile lands 
of New Zealand, might be disadvantageously exchanged for the broader 
and more level, less earthquake shaken, but arid expanse of the Australian 
plains. 
The present information as to earthquakes in New Zealand may be 
summarized as follows :— 
Mr. Edward Weller felt shocks of very great force in Stewart Island 
in the year 1833, and it is probable that there may have been many shocks 
since that time. 
Mr. Mantell collected information from the Maoris, that very severe 
shocks had formerly been felt in Otago. 
The earthquake of 1855 was marked in this latter province by a great sea 
wave, and since then various slight shocks have been felt at different times 
by the settlers. 
In Canterbury the information with regard to earthquakes is imperfect, 
but many minor shocks have been felt, and the earthquake of 1855 was felt 
severely. 
In Cook Strait earthquake shocks have been more numerous than 
elsewhere since the settlers arrived. The severest shocks, as before stated, 
were in the years 1848 and 1855. At Taranaki shocks have been very 
numerous, and some of them tolerably severe. At Napier the shocks latterly 
have been more severe than elsewhere ; and at Auckland many minor shocks 
have been felt, with a few of rather decided character. 
