TAUPO TREMORS

Evening Post, Volume CIII, Issue 139, 15 June 1922, Page 3

TAUPO TREMORS

SHOCKS NOT FELT AT TOKAANU,

After a six days' motor tour to the Tongariro National Park and the Taupo /district, accompanied by Mr. J. Cullen, honorary warden of the Park, the Mayor (Mr. J. H. Gunson) returned to Auckland on Monday evening, further confirmed in his enthusiasm for the future of this area as a holiday resort. The trip was made via Atiamuri, to the base of Ruapehu, on the Waimarino side, and the distance covered was about 600 miles. Brilliantly fine weather was experienced, with cold, clear nights, and the exhilarating atmosphere and attractiveness of the mountain and park scenery convinced Mr. Gunson that here is the future playground and health resort of New Zealanders, and that ita early development is greatly to be desired.

"There lias been a large number of parties at the mountains during the autumn," said Mr. Gunson to an Auckland Star, reporter, "and, in fact, up to the beginning of the present month. Bookings are now taking place for August and the later months of the year. In short, the accommodation is practically all taken up. Even for mountain huts the accommodation is poor and altogether too restricted, while their design gives very little comfort in the cold weather to those who frequent this magnificent area. At the present time there is very little snow on the mountains. In fact, I was told that it is seven years since at this time of the year there has been such a small quantity of snow. But no doubt when the weather breaks the conditions will be severe.

"When we went through Wairakei and Taupo last Thursday the earthquakes were very severe, but on our return on Sunday they were less continuous and not of such severity or duration. As we passed round the lake to Tokaanu and on. to the mountains we found the shocks had not been felt at all in that locality."