F. W. Hutton was a wide-ranging natural scientist who lectured in zoology and geology at Canterbury College. He published a detailed study of the 1888 North Canterbury earthquake based on his own observations. Because he failed to note the horizontal offset on the Hope Fault, history has placed him in the shadow of the geologist Alexander McKay, but this is a rather unfair reflection of his contribution and ability.

Learn more at the Dictionary of New Zealand Biography
(Link opens in a new browser window)

Geologist Alexander McKay travelled widely around New Zealand and investigated the effects of the 1888 North Canterbury earthquake. His recognition of a 4.5-metre horizontal offset on the Hope Fault is probably the first record of horizontal movement on a fault during an earthquake anywhere in the world. From his observations McKay deduced that earthquakes are caused by movements of faults and that uplift of the mountains in New Zealand is caused by many small fault movements associated with earthquakes.

Learn more at the Dictionary of New Zealand Biography
(Link opens in a new browser window)