DEAD FISH.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 304, 23 December 1940, Page 8

DEAD FISH.

FOUND IN LAKE.

TROUBLE AT PUPUKE. Thousands of dead fish—mostly eels and pike—were found floating on a. certain ar»a of Lake Pupuke on Thursday morning. It is considered that the probable cans* , of the death of the fish was the decomposition of vegetable matter at the bottom of the lake. Efforts are being made to remove the fish and. it is stated it may be necessary to drag the lake to recover those that are not on the surface.

It is understood that the first sign that there had been some trouble in tie lake was when an extenshe film of fish oil was noticed. The health authorities were notified, and two officials were rowed over the vicinity on Thursdav evening.

The waters of the lake had been treated by the spraying of copper sulphate, and chloride of lime had also l»ecn distributed, so that there is no likelihood of any |»er<oii suffering ill effects from drinking from North Shore taps.

It was stated this morning by residents of the borough that the fishy taste of the water was probaWy due to the presence of tlie tlead fish, but this w*> discounted in other quarters, where it was pointed out that the taste was due io the presence of an orgajiism that produced the same effect. Volcanic Activity? The first theory advanced was that the death of the fi<h was ftue to a subterranean explosion in the centre of the lake, which has an estimated depth of '■'•A(i feet at that point. Ix was thought that volcanic activity of some description may have stunned them and throwr them to the surface, where they drowned.

In another quarter that theory wju discounted, and it was pointed out thai Uiis was the second time that such t thing had occurre<l, and it was mor< probable that the trouble was due to t mass of decaying vegetation at the bottom of the lake. It was explained thai •is the vegetation became rotten a thiol film formed over it, and gases vert generated liclow it. In some cases the gases would b? released in the form of strings of babbles, but it was possible that the tension under the film would grow so great tiutf -there would be a sudden uprush tha; would kill the fish. A third, but not so plausible theorr was that the fish had suffered concussion as the result of blasting operation; in the vicinity. Fish and Mad. Whatever may have happened, lh« sample of water which was brought inta the oflice of the "Auckland Star" bv ; North Shore resident this morning ws.no testimonial for Lake Pupuke euppl. The dark gTey, muddy liquid gathered from the shores of the lake was full « small fish, ranging from an inch to tw« inches. When the bottle was opener there was an appalling smell rcminiscea. of the days when one experimented witi sulphuretted hydrogen in the labonton at school.

"And that's what we have to put tit with on the Xorth Shore," uid tin "Star's"' informant, carefully puttin; back the cork. "1 don't know what iici of explosion it was that-n-as reopoosibi. for that mess, but it does no obj an* good to drink it even after : it iuM'ssttet through all kinds of proceesea."