Ruapehu Rumbles

Southland Times, Issue 10917, 18 April 1907, Page 2

Ruapehu Rumbles

- OMINOUS SIGNS, | NGARUAHOm ACTIVE. j Per United Tress Association. j AUCKLAND, April 17, | The Uaetihi corresi>ondent of the | Herald telegraphs that an interest- i ing change'has taken place in the apj>oarance of Kuapehu mountain. Yesterday the mountain was capped with snow ; but this morning it was seen , to have lost its whiteness and to have become of a bluish-gray colour. There is nothing whatever to explain this extraordinary transformation but the fact that an eruption has evidently occurred somewhere on the mountain. It is considered most probable that the hot lake at the eastern side "of Ruapehu, which has recently been more than usually active, has, instead of sending up clouds of steam, caused an upheaval of something more substantial- It is scarcely likely that the Ngaruahoe volcano is the cause of the trouble, because it is several miles away and much lower than Ruapehu. During the past two months Ngaruahoe has been very active throwing ashes and mud to a considerable height. The lake on Ruapehu also at intervals emitted clouds of steam, tremendous volumes of steam issuing above the mountain top. Heavy rumbling and explosions have frequently been heard at Ohak.une, presumably from Ngaruahoe. At the present time the mountain is partly hidden by rain clouds, and future events are waited for with much interests bv residents.