THE NATIONAL PARK.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume XV, Issue 2153, 22 June 1887, Page 4

THE NATIONAL PARK.

Discus sura the subject of the Tongariro National Park, a writer in the Tuapeka Times says;--"In what I have to say on this subject I do not speak without a little scientific knowledge, and a familiarity with the country in question. 1 have been over every acre ol ! it, have ascended both mountains, and moreover, have spent several months in investigating it geologically. The", conclusion I have come to is this— and it has been substantiated by others who have been in the country — that sooner or later the so-called Tongariro Park will be in exactly the same region (to borrow from Mr Ballance) as Mahomet's tomb — in mid-air. Scattered here and there over the country are unmistakeable signs of subterranean activity, such as mud-volcanoes, fuuiaroles, silicious springs, and solfataras. Tongariro itself has of late been giving strong evidence of activity; and the country has every appearance of having been 'turned up' by volcanic action at a comparatively recent period. A branch of the Waikato rises in Tongariro, flowing through the little lake known as Rotoaira Poutu, and aiong^ tKe banlce at various places there are threatening indications that the water is getting uncomfortably near to the dangerous region beneath. It lias been noticed of late that some connection exists between Rotoaira Poutu and Tongariro, for when the cone shows signs of activity the waters j of the lake become heated and disturbed. This shows, beyond doubt, as in the case of the hot lake, Roto-, niahana, that the lake is resting on a heated crust, the collapse of which, as jin the case of Rotomahana, is only a matter of time, and when this does happen, the monarch, Tongariro, will shoot forth death and destruction to

all and everything for many milos around. It wiii be the fato of To Ariki and "VY.iiroa repeated ; and in ]>ra;uii l u'i!.f irv..r ;i scheme ol such diabolical ioliy tiitt v.roveniMont arc noting with an amount of thoughtlesonoss almost unpardonable. Tougariro is a very nice place ; but, all things considered, it looks better at a distance"