FAMOUS TERRACES

Evening Star, Issue 22365, 15 June 1936, Page 12

FAMOUS TERRACES

GAN THEY BE UNCOVERED? MEMORIES OF TARAWERA ERUPTION Interesting comments upon Mr Alfred Warbrick’s recently-published theories regarding the possibility of uncovering the Pink and White Terraces which were lost in the eruption of Mount Tarawera on June 11, 1886, were made by Mr Arthur Graham, of Wairakei, in an interview recently (reports the Taranaki ‘ Herald ’). Mr Graham is himself one of tho earliest European residents of the district, and bears a name which is intimately associated with tho pioneering days of tho Auckland province. His father, tho late Mr Robert Graham, was ono of the very early pioneers'of Auckland, and later extended his varied interests to the Rotorua and Taupo districts. Mr Arthur Graham was one of a party of Rotorua residents who visited the shores of Lake Tarawera three days after the eruption, arid although 50 years have passed since that great upheaval his recollections of the scone which they surveyed are still very vivid. Mr Graham was living in Auckland when the eruption took place, but immediately news of it was received he, with his mother and a half-caste guide named Turner, proceeded to Rotorua to ascertain the rate of their various property holdings in tho district. Three days after the upheaval lie was a member of the party of 12 which left Ohinemutu on horseback and rode over the hills at the back of Whakarewarewa toward Lake' Rotomahaua to reach the scene of the earthquake. Here they found the country torn and rent in every direction, some of the upheavals being as much as 12ft high, and the rifts and cracks in places 31t wide. It was dangerous work picking a way across this fiat, and the horses became very restive. However, the party’ succeeded in reaching Pareheru, a block of bush bn a ridge overlooking a vast extent of the great dustfleld which stretched to the south beyond Rainbow Mountain.

Members of the party decided to tether their horses at this point and proceed on foot. They were just setting out when they encountered a party led by Mr Percy Smith, Assistant Sur-veyor-General, who were returning from an inspection of Rotomahana. Mr Smith’s report somewhat dampened their ardour, as he. considered that there was still considerable danger in approaching too close to Rotomahana, but ithey nevertheless decided to continue. They made their way along a ridge parallel to a great rift which extended from Tarawera, through the old Rotomahana Lake bed, to the southern crater, a distance of approximately 10 miles. This rijft was apparently 501 tto 600 ft in width, and of like depth. GREAT VOLUMES OF STEAM. It continuously belched forth great volumes of steam, while black smoke rose 1 ominously, from craters along the line. One crater was particularly active, throwing out great boulders hundreds of feet into the air. Some fell back into the crater, while others tell into the dustfield and disappeared. “ This dustfield,” said Mr Graham, had the appearance of a heavy snowfall, and as wo walked through it we often sank over our ankles and sometimes to our knees. Eventually we reached Hape-o-Toroa, the highest point overlooking the old bed of the Rotomahana Lake. Here we encountered a sight which almost beggared description.

“ Great volumes of smoke and steam, which were rising from Rotomahana,, ascended in places to a height of 10,000 ft, and spread out at the top in mushroom shapes,” he said. “ Throughout there was a continuous, deafening roaring, so loud that it was with dimcultv we could hear each other speak. From the bed of the lake, which appeared to be the centre of activity, were spouting great geysers to n height of 1,500 ft and 2,000 ft, carrying with them trunks of trees, stones, and black sand. The noise as they played and fell back into the lake was like that of massed artillery. It was a neiei-to-be-forgotten although a most appalling sight.”

“ After gazing into this awful inferno every’ member of our party was pre-. pared to confirm the opinion expressed by Air Percy Smith that there was no hope of the famous pink and white terraces remaining. However, I have read Mr AVarbrick’s opinions regarding the possible existence of the terraces, and 1 am not prepared to dispute the possibility of their still being intact, as 1 bad no opportunity of viewing the lake bod when it was dry. I am, however, inclined to think that be is mistaken when bo savs that no specimens of the silica formation of the terraces were ever found. AVe# have at the present time at Wairakoi some specimens from a collection gathered by the late Dr Humphrey Havnes. which look remarkably like‘pieces of silica from the old

Pink Terrace, and I have also heard of others who consider that they have similar specimens.

“ WORTH THE EXPENDITURE.” “ However, after considering Mr Warbrick’s suggestion regarding the lowering of Rotomahana, I am inclined to agree with him that the chance of unearthing the terraces is well worth any expenditure likely to be involved. It could be done by excavating the Ivaiwaka Channel to a sufficient depth to start an overflow from the lake. The erosion would gradually 7 bring the water to the old bed of the Kaiwaka Stream, and by relieving the lake of this body of water it might be possible to locate the site of the old terraces. “ Should the experiment prove fruitless in this direction, however, it is probable that the thermal area which would be uncovered would reveal geysers and hot pools and lead to the formation of terraces, which would add an area of new interest to the Government round trip,” he continued. “ The old White Terrace cauldron was so heavily charged with silica that terrace formation is likely to occur in this locality much more quickly than in any other part of the thermal area. I recollect that Guides Kate and Sophia used to put birds’ nests, flax baskets, and other objects into the pools on the White Terrace, and that in five or six weeks they would be completely covered with silica. Mr Graham also mentioned that he had at Wairakei three of the late Mr Charles Blomfield’s original paintings, one of them showing the location of the Pink and White Terraces on the shores of Lake Rotomahana. These, he said, might possibly be of assistance in locating the site of the terraces if the level of the lake was lowered as suggested.