WHITE ISLAND

Otago Witness, Issue 3593, 23 January 1923, Page 59

WHITE ISLAND

NEW BLOW HOLE APPEARS. AUCKLAND, January 18. The appearance of a large blow hole on White Island, in the Bay of Plenty, which was observed by a party of visitors from Opotiki on December 31, has revived interest in this centre of thermal activity, where a disastrous explosion occurred over eight years ago. A correspondent of the Herald states that the new blow hole on the day mentioned was playing up in dense clouds of steam, and that it seemed to have cleared itself by means of a small eruption. What is known as the great blow hole was not so active as it usually is, and it is thought that this may bo due to the new outlet taking away some of its power. It also was noted that the great blow hole was throwing cut gas only, and with a strong pressure. The new blow hole is at the north-west end of the valley, and is about 200 yards from the great blow hole. The opinion is expressed that the new outlet, which is at the base of the high cliffs, may cause an eruption similar to that of 1914, as it eats its way tinder and undermines the cliff’s foundation. The eruption of September, 1914, resulted in the loss of the lives of 10 men who were employed on the island by the New Zealand Sulphur Company, while damage to the extent of about £20,000 was done to the company’s works and plant. The old blow hole which disappeared in the explosion, and which was situated at the base of the north-eastern cliff, has always shown thermal activity, and shortly before the explosion this activity had been rather more pronounced than usual, although not to an alarming degree. The opinion was expressed after the disaster that the activity from this blow hole had passed underneath the cliff, which was 1000 ft high, and caused a huge landslide.