GEOLOGY OF CANTERBURY.

Press, Volume L, Issue 14983, 2 June 1914, Page 10

GEOLOGY OF CANTERBURY.

PROFESSOR DAVIS'S VISIT. During his s*ay in Christ-church last week, Professor W. M. Davis, Professor of Geology at Harvard College, made .everal tours to points of interest to the geologist in Canterbury, and was accompanied by Mr R. Speight, M.A., M.Sc., F.G.S., curator of the Canterbury Museum, and lecturer on geology at Canterbury College

On Tuesday, Professor Pavis went to the top of the Poll Sills by the Summit road, the specui! <*ject of hia visit being to compare the features or an island with drowned valleys, where thero are no coral reefa. He found that the features corresponded almost exactly with the island features he found in tho Fiji group. The special point emphasised by Professor Davis m connexion with Banks Peninsula was the amount of dissection by means of stream action which has gone on since volI canic times, especially so on the inner side of the harbour. On Wednesday and Thursday Lake Coleridge and the Rakaia Gorge were visited. Lake Coleridge was visited in order to stndy the effects of glacial action. Professor Davis noted many interesting features of the glacial effects on the landscape, which were different from anything he had seen in other regions of the world where glaciers are notable features. He was specially struck with the wonderful series of parallel valleys exposed in this region. He also noted the striking eff'< is of glacial erosion, and was especial'}* gratified thereat, as he is one of :he stoutest supporters of the efficacy of glaciers as erosive agents as compjvr I with those who deny that they h*«vj such power. At the Rakaia Gorge, Professor Davis was impressed with the terraces, which he stated were th** most wondercul ! series it had been his good fortune to On Friday Professoi Davis visited North Canterbury in order to etudy such features as the Culverden plain and the strips of ; which fill the valleys of the rivers., such j as the Waikari Valley. _ . On Saturday Sumner was visited, | Professor Davis's object being to study j coast features in connexion with hi. ! observations of coral islands. Profes- [ sor Davis left the same. evening for j Ellington. *