Quakes blamed on bones

2005-04-15 11:16

Wellington - Maori tribal elders are blaming archaeologists who removed the bones of two bodies from an ancient burial ground for research for 14 earthquakes that have rocked a small New Zealand town over the last 10 days, it was reported on Thursday.

Two more shakes, measuring 3.4 and 4.0 on the Richter scale, hit Matata, on the shoreline of the North Island's Bay of Plenty, on Thursday morning, following three on Wednesday, the Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences reported.

The area was the scene of fighting between dissident Maoris who opposed the colonial government's policies and British troops of the New Zealand militia in the 1860s after a missionary priest and a ship's captain were killed.

Maori elder Anthony Olsen said tribal leaders had become increasingly nervous as the earthquakes continued, the New Zealand Press Association reported.

"It seems highly coincidental we have had 20 earthquakes since two bodies were removed about the beginning of March," he said. - Sapa-dpa

- SAPA