VOLCANIC ACTIVITY.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10956, 26 April 1907, Page 1

VOLCANIC ACTIVITY.

(Per Press Association.) OKAHUNE, last night. There are no further signs pf activity on Ruapehu, but it is reported v that *a portion of the eastern side of the '"crater of Njarualioe has been broken down by ejected material. Tlie most recent ascent of Ruapehu was made at Easter by two; officers , of , the Public Works Department, Okaiiune. They ioVrhd-'! i the crater _ke,.„s 4 teamirig, with indications of ice walls having been 'undermined by hot H water. Dust and a quantity of stones were found on the snow surrounding the crater. Some of the largest pieces of material were a foot in diameter. A portion which was brought back burned with a blue sulphurous flame. These stones had been ejected hot, as they had melted their way into the liard snow' and ice. AUCKLAND, last night ' The correspondent of the v Star telegraphs to-day from Waiouru, stating that the Rev. H. J. Fletcher, of Taupo, who uses a telescope, is satisfied that the abnormal activity has been shown not" so much by Ruapehiii as by its neighbor, Ngaruiihoe. The eruption on Ruapehu, which caused so much excitement at Okahune, was, in his opinion, one of those large intermittent geyser actions which occur on this mountain's summit at long intervals, the period, roughly, being .five years. In this* respect he sees nothing to be alarmed about; but lie regards the working of Ngaruahoe with more interest, for this crater has shown signs of great activity. It has, he says, been emitting clouds of steam* and dust daily since the middle' of February. -Tlie geyser, which has. provided an attraction, at Tokaanu for three weeks, continues to. give displays up to 100ft in height. Its action is not so frequent as upon the first outbreak. Agitation of the boiling pool from which it rises precedes the eiiot by an eruption of slightly muddy water, and steam! follows. There were four outbursts yesterday, but this morning the pool was beaming and that was all. Two parties have attempted the ascent of Ruapehu since the geyser eruption, but the wet weather made the expedition unsuccessful.