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Volume 23, 1890
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Plate XLI.

I Began to examine into the circumstances of this earthquake in connection with the general work of determining the origins of New Zealand earthquakes, and expected to find that the source of the disturbance was situated beneath the surface of the earth somewhere in the neighbourhood of Castle Hill, or (as Professor Hutton suggested to me in conversation) between Mount Torlesse and Mount Franklin. The evidence, however, gives a different result, and yet I believe is sufficient to show that the epicentrum is at or near the same spot as that of the 1st September, 1888.

The facts on which the present notes are based are related in the Lyttelton Times and Press of the following days. Very full accounts are given, but the number of data exact enough for our purpose is small.

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The places at which the earthquake was felt are as follows:—

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Place. Time. Apparent Direction. Apparent Duration. Effects. Remarks.
Christchurch a.m. 7.37or
7.38		 N. to S.or
N.E. to
S. W.		 10-35 secs. Piece fell off cathedral tower. Chimneys, ceilings damaged, bells rung, panes broken, articles thrown off shelves, water in open vessels spilt; Avon stopped flowing for a moment, then flowed slightly more quickly. Not so much damage as 1868. Several clocks facing E. and W. stopped, but those facing N. and S. went on.
Lyttelton 7h. 36m.
43s.,
N.Z.M.T.		 N. and S “Sharp” (or“very severe”). S.s. “Wakatipu” heeled over on to wharf. No damage. Clock at time-ball tower stopped at time named. Town-clock bell struck several strokes at 7.38; several clocks stopped then.
Rangiora 7.33 S.E. to N.W. Nearly ½ min. No damage done. All pendulum clocks, in cluding town-clock, stopped at 7.33. One of the sharpest since 1871.
Kaiapoi
Waikuku
Saltwater
Creek		 7.35 No damage of consequence. Some artesians stopped flowing for a time.
Cust Oxford About 7.45 E. to W. E. to W. 70–80 secs. Unusually heavy. Chimneys moved ½in.to 2in. A few, badly constructed, over-thrown, Bottles off shelves. Nearly all clocks stopped.
Prebbleton 7.35 E. to W. “Sharp.” School-bell at Lincoln rang. No damage.
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Place. Time. Apparent Direction. Apparent Duration. Effects. Remarks.
Leeston a.m. 7.35 N.E. to S.W. “Smart.” Accompanied with slight rumbling. Some clocks stopped.
Sheffield 7.34 W. to E. Rather sharp. Preceding and succeeding termors.
Kowai Pass (Springfield) About 7.35 N.E. to S.W. Upwards of ½ min. “Violent oscillation.” Bottles off shelves. “More violent than twelve years ago.”
Ashburton 7.40 The most severe since settlement of district
Lyell 7.35 E. to W. 5 secs.
Wairau About 7.30 N. to S. 20 secs.
Westport 7.34 Three distinct shocks; more than ordinary force.
Greymouth 7.33 or 7.30 (about) W. to W., then N. to S. 20–30 secs. “Heaviest ever experienced.” Two sharp and distinct shocks. No damage.
Kumara 7.35 From N. W., then S. W. to N. E. Two shocks. Second shock was heaviest on the West Coast since 1868.
Hokitika 7.30 or 7.37 S. to N. ½ min. Very strong and distinct shock.
Ahaura Wellington Timaru 7.30 7.37 or 7.45 Slight.
Akaroa 7.30 E. to W. Very smart. No damage.
Dunedin Seemed to be six shocks in immediate succession.
Hurunui About 7.35 S. W. to N. E. Nearly 2 min.
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