THE WEST COAST VOLCANO.

Evening Star, Issue 10332, 4 June 1897, Page 4

THE WEST COAST VOLCANO.

Respecting the reported volcanic eruption at Kutoto, near Martin Bay, the following are some additional particulars given by the Greymouth 'Argus':—"We gather from some of the read men from Milford Sound that an eruption occurred on Kutoto Peak last week, and thfci it is still active and giving signs of increasing. When the Hinemoa left the Sound on Wednesday, May 19, the men's attention had beea drawn to smoke and steam ascending from Mount Kutoto, north of them, on the Monday night, and nearer to Martin Bay than to the Sound. The opinion was that it was about seven miles from the Martin Bay settlement and some twelve miles away from the Sound. When a boat's crew from the Hinemoa had gone ashore at Martin Bay the settlers were full of the new volcano in their neighborhood. Their version of the story was that on the ifonday night previous they were alarmed bv a rumbling noise and earth tremors. Some of them saw smoke and flame arising from Kutoto, though all had been perfectly quiescent on the mountain as long as the settlers had been there. It is said amongst the Maoris, however, that a long time previously the mountain showed volcanic activity by sending up flame, smoke, and steam. The eruption has continued since the earthquake of Monday night, May 17, at about 9.30. The settlers consider that the steam and smoke are greater than when they were first noticed on the night of ihe earthquake."