Volcanoes and hot water

Press, 4 March 1978, Page 17

Volcanoes and hot water

The Story of New Zealand Volcanoes. By G. L. Pearce. Collins. 208 pp. $11.50. Hot Water Country. By Ross Annabell. Reed. 192 pp. $7.50. (Reviewed by John Wilson)

“The Story of New Zealand Volcanoes,” an account of the geology and history (Maori and European) of almost all New Zealand’s volcanoes, active and dormant, has as its central theme the extent to which landforms and land-use in New Zealand have been determined by volcanic forces. But having a theme does not prevent the book degenerating into a random miscellany of facts and observations which anyone could have gathered from a superficial reading of books already available. To compound the book’s faults, material has been tacked on in lengthy appendices which would have been better incorporated into the main text. The book may satisfy those who want no more than brief, cursory

survey of a number of historical and

geological topics, but most will be likely to put the book down with a desire, to read a more deeply researched and authoritative volume or volumes about the geology and history of New Zealand’s volcanoes the thermal regions.

“Hot Water Country,” which touches on some of the topics raised in “The Story of New Zealand Volcanoes,” is a more satisfying book because the author has not tried to reach beyond material he is familiar with, or beyond his own experiences. “Hot Water Country” is hardly inspiring or imaginative writing, rather simply a readable, authentic account of individual experiences. Luckily, the experiences are those of an individual who was eager to try all the different pursuits and activities that living in Rotorua afforded, with an emphasis on vigorous outdoor activities such as hunting, fishing, tramping and camping, with sky-diving thrown in.

He seized opportunities to climb with D.S.I.R. scientists to the top of active volcanoes and to visit White Island with one of the last muttonbirding parties. Mr Annabell’s eagerness also extended to accumulating, in a casually journalistic fashion, anecdotes, bits of history and scientific knowledge, but the casual nature of these sections of his book is redeemed by his refusal to present them with any false air of thorough research or erudition. He has made excellent use of his personal acquaintance with “notables” of the North Island thermal regions — Guide Rangi, Fred Ladd and Roy Turner — and concludes with a warning that the peculiar attractions of the area are threatened by the industrial development proceeding there. A pity that such an agreeable book should be marred by disgracefully poor registration in the colour printing.