WHITE ISLAND VISITED

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25090, 23 January 1947, Page 3

WHITE ISLAND VISITED

OBSERVATIONS BY SCIENTISTS

VOLCANIC ACTIVITY “ The Press ” Special Service

WELLINGTON, January 21. Observers from the Department of scientific and. Industrial Research have returned from White Island, whete they spent six days. They obtained information likely to be of importance to science and industry. This - was the first visit by scientists to the island for 20 years, and changes in volcanic activity were observed. A exploration of deposits ' i 1C j, may ®* ve information about the 1S wu- s S eol °Bi c al history was made. White Island (which is about 60 miles from Tauranga), appeared not so much white as like a highly decorated Christmas cake, according to Mr C. A. Fleming, the geologist of the Party. Parts of it were encrusted with a pinkish rock. The island was a blaze of the yellow of sulphur, the red of haematite, and the white of gypsum. The only natural green was the far fringes of pohutukawas. Schubert’s Fairy, a fumarole so named years ago when ■an attempt was made to mine the sulphur of the island, was still a sight which would make Rotorua look tame, Mr Fleming said. The Fairy danced many feet above a roaring blowhold. The sulphurous vapour escaped at such heat and pressure that it was invisible for many feet. When it condensed, the Fairy appeared in dancing, bluish sulphur flame, "while far above soared a steam cloud.

Describing some of the changes since the last visit, he said that Little Donald, one of the blowholes formerly mapped, had now become quiet. Big Donald, however, was again the centre of a boiling green lake. This was not nearly as large as the lake which formerly occupied much of the crater. It w r as strongly acid. After a strong hapuka line had been in it for a few minutes, the threads could be pulled apart. When an attempt was made to ex-, amine one fumarole, a thermometer reading up to 350 degrees centigrade buckled and broke. Knives corroded overnight and a gunmetal watchcase, carried in the pocket of one of the party, was now completely black. The remains of the sulphur mill of about 20 years ago showed strong evidence of the corrosive atmosphere. Everything steel and iron had been heavily corroded and the concrete was buckled from the expansion of its reinforcements. The asbestos roof was also considerably affected. The scientists’ opinion is that the extent of the hydro-thermal activity on the island cannot be judged by the steam cloud. This is shown to be greatly affected by the atmosphere even while the activity of pools and vents remained constant. Asked whether the gypsum deposits could be used to relieve the shortage in the New Zealand building trade, Mr Fleming declined to comment. He said that samples had been collected for analysis and report. Gypsum appeared .to be the most obvious product.of the island’s hydro-thermal activity. It was showing in narrow seams and crystals in a great many places in the crater bed. These deposits were scattered and some were obviously impure.