Geologist Made Quick Inspection Of Ngautuhoe

Northern Advocate, 24 February 1949, Page 6

Geologist Made Quick Inspection Of Ngautuhoe

WANGANUI, Thu. (P.A.).—Considerable changes in the crater of Ngauruhoe, involving a partial filling of the only previous vent and the opening of a new one, have been discovered by Mr L. A. Allen, of the Geological Survey. Mr Allen made a quick circuit of the lip of the crater and dsecended again “as quickly as possible because I didn’t know when she was going up again.”

Previously, the only vent in the volcano was in the southern sector of thh crater, and whereas this was surrounded by sheer 100 ft walls, it is now possible to descend a gentle rubble slope of about 30 feet to the vent itself, which now has a surface of hard scum. Mr Allen believs from his observations that only ash and steam have come from this vent in the recent activity.

The entire crater was now ringed with ash and hot boulders, most of which had been hurled out several limes, only to fall back into the vent. Mr Allen suggested that this regurgie.tion was explained by the fact that the vent pointed directly upwards — the total quantity of matter thrown out from the depths of the volcano was probably relatively small. Descending by way of the lava stream, on the north-west face, Mr Allen inspected several very small vents in the stream from which lava nad trickled. Everything indicated that they were directly connected with the new major vent. For the past couple of days the mountain, according to Mr Allen, “has been turning on only a mediocre show.”

There was probably lava in the vent, he added, but none had been ejected.

The most interesting discovery of his quick inspection was the development of a new vent in the small north-west sector of the crater. Like the other, this vent now carries a solid scum, bij,t it was from there that all the lava had been ejected,