DUSTED BY ASH

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31223, 22 November 1966, Page 1

DUSTED BY ASH

Party Near Crater

INZ Press Association! ROTORUA. Nov. 21

A cloud of ash erupted thousands of feet into the air from a new crater on White Island yesterday while two scientists and an assistant were making tests nearby. Another smaller eruption occurred about two minutes later, and there were several more within an hour.

Mr J. Healy, the Government vulcanologist at Rotorua, and Dr. R. Glover and his assistant, Mr L. Kleym, from the D.5.1.R., Wairakei, who were making scientific tests about 250 yards from the crater, did not hear anything at the time of the big eruption, but they saw the large cloud and were dusted with fine grey ash. On a nearby ridge members of the Rotorua Geographic Society also received a covering of ash. Mr E. F. Lloyd, a scientific officer, of Rotorua, who was on the mainland coast at the time, said he saw a cloud rise several thousand feet from the island.

Mr Healy said the new crater —the result of a spectacular blast last week—was about 200 ft across and 400 ft deep.