THERMAL ACTIVITY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2856, 9 December 1908, Page 30

THERMAL ACTIVITY.

DISTURBANCE ON WHALE ISLAND. AUCKLAND, December 1. The Star's Whakatane correspondent wires that a violent earthquake, lasting about 30sec, followed by smaller tremors, was -experienced about 8.50 this morning. In some shops packages were shaken off the shelves. The shake is said to be heavier than those experienced at Whakatane during fhe TarWwera eruption, although not as long in duration. Whale Island "was in what appeared to be a cloud of 'dense -dust, which gradually disappeared, and left the island in its normal condition. The earthquake damaged the shed erected to hold material for the Whakatane Bridge to the extent that it had to "be strengthened. Fishermen at sea at the time of the quake confirm the impression held at Whakatane that Shere was an eruption on Whale Island or a tremendous laodslide on the seaward side, which caused great -clouds of dust to ascend. Whale -Island is only sevaen unties distant irom Whakatane. The earthquake shocks at Whakatane are creating some alarm along the Bay -of Plenty frontage. Whale Island is regarded with some dread, and it is evident that some disturbance ;has -taken place there. The island is a mile and a-haK long by three-quarters of -a. mile wide, and from the coast of the mainlandjt seems to resemble an enormous whale. So far as is known Whale Island has never been in eruption, and disturbances in that locality are usually attributed to the immense forces finding vent at White Island. The base of White Island crater is one and ahalf miles in circuit/ and in the centre is a great boiling spring, -sending a column of steam 2000 ft high. AUCKLAND, December 2. A telegram from Whakatane states that further shocks of earthquake were experienced last .night, 10 occurring within -an hour, one of which was the most severe since 'the Tarawera eruption. Fishermen report that there is a large crevasse- on the seaward side of Whale Island, from which a dense yellow cloud which took a quarter of an hour to dissipate, issued. Simultaneously with an earthquake shock, dry hot sand is being emitted from the islands. White Island is noticeably quiet. In connection with the earthquake shocks and tne supposition that they are the result of volcanic activity at sea, Mr 3". T. Stevenson, F.R.A.S., says the date is coincident with the moon's nearest approach to the earth on the first of the -month, and he remarks upon similar coincidences at the time of the great ■eruption of Mount Pelee and the eruption of Vesuvius.