been extremely anxious to attribute to
Wellington an exclusive property in
earthquakes; but, without any desire to
abdicate our rights, we do not see how
we can honestly claim the monopoly in a
property which appears unfortunately to
be the partnership property of all New
Zealand. The Taranaki Herald has ad-
duced as a proof of its mildness there,
that the Church built of stone, is still
standing. We can show here in Wel-
ington, four or five brick-built buildings
which stood the earthquake of 1848, and
the late one, and are still uninjured;
some of them have been mentioned in
the course of this report. Another re-
markable fact connected with the earth-
quakes in this country, is, that they are
eccentric in their movements; that they
move in different lines, at times leaving
Wellington uninjured, while other places
suffer severely. This statement may sur-
prise some of our neighbours, but such
is the case, for on the 1st January, 1853,
the shock of an earthquake was felt in
Wellington, the shock was considered a
very long one, but so mild and slight as
to be only felt by those sitting or stand-
ing, and of course not the slightest damage
was done. It was felt in a slighter degree
here, than the last one was said to be felt
at Auckland.

But, from the following paragraphs,
taken from the Nelson and Taranaki
papers, at these places it was felt severely.

EARTHQUAKE.—A severe shock of
an earthquake was felt on Saturday even-
ing, last (Jan. 1st.) about half-past eight
oclock. The vibration of the earth was
considerable, and lasted for several mi-
nutes, the shock apparently coming from
the N.E. During the subsequent 36
hours, several lighter shocks were felt,
but none of them had the force of the
first. The only damage done by this
earthquake (which was the most severe
we have experienced since the shocks of
1848) was the shaking down of the top
of a chimney of a house belonging to S.
Stephens, Esq., in the Rewaka.—Nelson
Examiner, Jan. 8, 1853.

In Wellington there were no subse-
quent shocks.

EARTHQUAKE.—On Saturday night
last, the town of New Plymouth and its
vicinity, was visited with a more severe
shock of an earthquake than the oldest
settlers in this place can remember. The
first and strongest shock took place about
22 minutes past 8 p.m., and appeared to
come from seaward, and to take a south
easterly direction across the island, last-
ing two minutes; although happily no in-
jury to life or limb occurred, several
narrow escapes are mentioned, and a
number of chimnies were thrown down,
and buildings and goods seriously da-
maged. Among others, the houses of
Mr. Norris, Mr. Hughes, and Mr. Shaw,
have suffered severely. The greatest
alarm was for some time felt, and nearly
the whole population fled from the houses
into the streets. The shocks have con-
tinued at intervals ever since, with more
or less severity, but the principal damage
was occasioned by the first shock, which
was considerably the strongest one felt.
We trust that before this account is be-
fore our readers, all apprehension from
this startling visitation will have ceased.
—Taranaki Herald, Jan. 5, 1853.

Now, had any person, anxious to make
a book, or fond of appearing in print,
been on the spot to witness the alarm,
confusion and excitement consequent on
such a distressing occurrence, he might
have written an account as long as that
which has been published with reference
to the late earthquake in January last.
This Nelson and Taranaki earthquake
which has been alluded to, was no or-
dinary affair; the brig Marion felt it off
Cape Farewell, and her passengers fan-
cied she was bumping on the rocks.

These facts are adduced to prove that
the earthquakes of this country change
their line of direction, and that the whole
of these islands are subject to them more
or less. In 1848, Auckland and Otago,
it is said, did not feel the shocks that
were felt here; but, in 1855, they did
feel them, and Auckland, in a very sen-
sible degree.

There are parts of the Province of
Wellington (the Ahuriri) which, during
the last earthquake of January 23rd, felt
it very little—in about the same degree
that Canterbury did.

Since January 23rd, a shock has been
felt at Otago; this was in last April, ac-
cording to the Otago Witness, which was
somewhat sharp, persons standing being
conscious of a reeling sensation.

This evidence, the Commission feel
convinced will satisfy all unprejudiced
minds that the earthquakes of this country are not confined to Wellington and its
neighbourhood, but that their ramifica-
tions extend through the length and
breadth of these islands, every portion of
them being more or less subject to them.

One fact, then, is now clearly revealed
to all New Zealand, which is, that we live
in a country subject to earthquakes—