122

These were all the strong shocks, but in the intervals there were a great number of smaller shocks, varying from 10 to 20 in the 24 hours; and these continued, gradually lessening in number and force, from the 16th to the 30th October; and from that time to this there have been several more violent than the small shocks. The strong shocks appear to have been felt at all the settlements within the latitudes above mentioned, and, as far as we can determine, simultaneously; but we have no certain data to decide this point; and also with the same character, but less in force in proportion to the distance from Cook’s Strait, and the line of N.E. and S.W. direction.

The strong shocks were all of this character:—A sound like subterranean thunder, accompanied with a vibration of the ground for a few seconds, and then a quick heaving oscillation of the earth, which, in a few seconds more died away with a quivering motion. The small shocks had not much of the heaving motion, but were more like the firing of cannon immediately underneath the place; they were sometimes so frequent that it sounded like a distant cannonade, while the earth appeared to tremble incessantly for 2 or 3 hours together.

The direction of the noise, and the motion of the earth, appeared to some people to come from the Southward, to others from the Northward; the buildings that have been damaged, are injured principally on the S.E. sides, and on the N.W. sides. A billiard table in Barrett’s Hotel was moved an inch to the S.E. The shocks were felt at Nelson a little more violently than at Wanganui; hardly at all at Hawke’s Bay, and as strongly at Banks’ Peninsula as at Wanganui. Therefore we conclude the line of direction to be N.E. and S.W.

There have been a few cracks made in the ground at Wellington, and at the mouths of some small rivers on the N.W. coast, and at the mouth of the Wairau; they are long narrow cracks, not larger than those caused by a long drought.

On the 16th October, eight hours after the first shock, it being high water but neap tides, the tide rose in Wellington one foot above ordinary spring tides; but this might have been occasioned by a strong S.E. wind, which lasted the 15th and 16th. On the 17th it was calm fine weather; on the 19th strong S.E. gale; on the 24th fine and calm. On the 19th and 20th the Aurora Australis was very brilliant in the S.E., but there was nothing to indicate it had any connection with the earthquake. There was no change in the Barometer or Thermometer that would appear to have given warning of a shock.

It appears to have been felt less on the higher grounds, and upon rocky foundations. The last winter has been an unusually rainy season, with little wind, and this is a circumstance which is said to be connected with earthquakes in South America.

It appears not to have been felt at all at Otakou or Auckland.

Up to this date no eruption has been heard of at any place within the limits of the earthquake as above stated.

We have endeavoured to ascertain the amount of damage done to the Town, and we consider that at the utmost, it is not more than £15,000 in property of all descriptions, and that includes £3500 of the Colonial Government, and £1000 of H.M. Ordnance.

We have the honor to be, Sir,

Your obedient Servants,

T. B. COLLINSON, Capt. R. E.,
ROBERT PARK, Civil Engineer,
HENRY ST. HILL, R. M.

The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, &c.

Wellington, 17th October, 1848.

SIR—I have the honour to enclose two reports from the Superintendents, and the usual abstracts of labour employed and work done during the Quarter ending 30th September, 1848.—From the general abstract it will appear that the amount expended during the Quarter, exclusive of the expense for tools and stone, amounted to £1073 9s. 8d., to this a further sum of £121 13s. 7d. has to be added as the cost of the latter, which includes that of the punt for punting stone across the mill pond at Kaiwarra, and a few other expenses connected with the road which could not properly be classed as contingencies to any particular portion of it. This will give a total amount of £1195 3s. 3d. as the expenditure during the past Quarter. The work during this period was chiefly carried on on the Petoni Road, and on the new line over the Mungaroa range, which is now ready for the party that will follow to construct the road. This I hope will be completed very early in the ensuing year, so that when the bush now fallen as far as the Pakuratahi river has been burnt off, the road can easily be made practicable as far as that river; and if large parties were employed during the summer, I have little doubt but that we might get to the top of the Rimutaka range with the road before the close of the fine season. This is the first summer we have ever had any likelihood of retaining large parties of natives on the work; and from the great number of applications, I am sure we might safely calculate on at least two hundred all through the summer, if we had the funds to employ them. They are chiefly Ngatiraukawas from Otaki, and most of them are now excellent workmen, very intelligent and orderly, and well conducted in their habits. They scarcely wear any but European clothing now, the blanket being seldom seen on them unless at night or early in the morning, and they are fast adopting all the customs of civilized life.

I have the honour to be, Sir,

Your most obedient servant,

T. H. FITZGERALD, Surveyor.

The Hon’ble Colonial Secretary, &c., Wellington.