THE MALFROY GEYSERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVII, Issue 8283, 16 June 1890, Page 11

THE MALFROY GEYSERS.

May 20 being the official day in honour of Her Majesty s birthday, it was in ado the occasion to celebrate a rather novel and interesting event, namely, the starting of thenew geysers in the Sanatorium rounds, Rotorua, at which Mr. Malfroy,theengincer-in-charge, lias lately been working. There are two concrete basins round the Oruawhata .Springs which supply the Blue Douche Electric Baths. The basins have hitherto been full of placid hotwater, without a bubble to show where the springs were, anil during the past six months they have been more quiescent than usual, so much so that they became inadequate to maintain the bath at the required temperature. This was a serious matter, and, it not remedied, would be detrimental to the district. Thanks, however, to the genius of Mr. Malfroy, who discovered that by collecting and gathering the springs into pipes they might be brought to have a geyser action, which would throw 1 he water up at a much higher temperature. With this view, lie started to work about a month ago, and has now succeeded in not only increasing the temperature of the baths, but has also been successful in manufacturing three fine geysers over the three main hot springs, and what seems still more wonderful is that by means of regulating valves he lias complete control over their action, and can make either of them play high or low, constantly or intermittently, as lie wishes. To illustrate how well Mr. Malfroy has the geysers under control, I may mention that, iii order to allow time to place and connect the pipes over the springs, he caused one of the geysers to play for nearly three weeks without intermission, the other two being perfectly quiescent during that time. About a week ago it was decided to make the two new ones play up on the afternoon of the Queen's Birthday, but that day being officially postponed until Monday, the geysers were likewise made to keep back their thermal activity till then On Monday about 40 of the residents and tourists assembled. The geysers being set agoing, played beautifully throwing the water from 40 to 50 feet high. Independent of their usefulness, they will be a great attraction to the district, and, as remarked by one of the tourists, will add several thousand pounds to the value of the Sanatorium grounds. As some slight acknowledgment to the inventor, they have been named "The Malfroy Group of Geysers," and *hc principal one, the Victoria, in honor of Her Majesty.—[Own Correspondent, I May 2«i. I