WAIMANGU GEYSER

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 1, Issue 58, 4 September 1939, Page 3

WAIMANGU GEYSER

THE ERUPTION RECALLED OLD RESIDENT'S MEMORIES Some interesting facts regarding the famous Waimangu Geyser Avere recalled by one of the oldest residents of Rotorua f Mr A. J. lies, in conversation with a "Morning Post" representative. The 36th anniA'ersary of the great eruption of the geyser occurred on Wednesday of last week. Mr lies pointed out 'that it was not Guide Warbrick Avho was killed Avhen the geyser erupted 36 years ago, but a brother of Mr Warbrick, who resided at Matata. This Mr Warbrick was doing the round trip with tAvo ladies and one other man, and while standing looking into the crater they Ave re suddenly OA'erwhelmed by a terrific and unheralded uprush of water and mud from the geyser. Mr lies said that he was asked by the authorities to proceed to the scene on the' following day and take photographs of the locality. This he did, Guklc A. Warbrick, aa t lio witnessed the fatality pointing out to him the places in which he had found the ladies. One of the bodies was carried two miles doAvn stream by the outflow and AAhen recoA r ered was unrecognisable. Such Avas the force of the blast that all the clothes A\Trc torn from the bodies of the four unfortunate and Avhen Mr lies im'estigated, pieces )f skin from the bodies were found adhering to the jagged rocks nearby. POWER OF GEYSER. Waimangu, or "Black "Water" Avas named by Dr TTaines on account. tlu« colour of the water and mud >t ejected. Mr lies stated that he had frequently camned in its viei.nitv, and had seen it frequently hml rocks and water to a height of oA r ei- f

500 feet. On occasions, large rocks Aveighing tAvo or three hundredweight Avere throw n many yards from the crater, and t\A r o or three hours after being ejected were still so hot that a hand could not be laid upon them. Waimangu had last erupted on April l t 1917 t and Mr lies said that on first receiving Avord of the eA'ent, he had put it clown to an April Fool's Day joke. On being reassured, however, he took a car and went to Waimangu with, some friends. On the Avay out he met Guide McCor mick Avith his wife and child, AA'ho had been badly burned by the eruption, coming into Rotorua. The woman and the ch'ld subsequently died. Although the guide warned them that 'the spot avSs extremely dangerous curiosity drove them on but after investigation they found that his warning Avas full}' justified. The A'alley in which the gej'ser lay was a scene of desolation, and the accommodation, house, the ruins of AA'hich are still to be seen, AA r as completely wrecked. An interesting fact recalled by Mr lies Avas that the guide claimed that an actual flame drove them from shelter in the house. He found confirmation of this in the rolling clouds of dense gas which were travelling over the countryside affeA r feet above the ground. The injuries of the woman and child showed that they had been very badly burned, and it Avas concoiA'able that some of 'the gas entering the house had ignited. The Avhole of the ground Avas narched, and A r egetation Avithered as though by the passage of a fiery and two large tanks at the rear of the building Avere thrown down and battered as though by 0 huge hammer.