TONGARIRO AND RUAPEHU ACTIVE.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 159, 3 July 1886, Page 6

TONGARIRO AND RUAPEHU ACTIVE.

Colonel McDonnell, writing from Maaterton to Mr T. W. Gudgeon, Auckland, says: — " I only returned yesterday fromKarioi, a station belonging to Morrin, Studholto, and. Co , at the foot of Ruapehu Mountain. On Sunday week I rode over the Owhacko Ranges, which are snow covered. From Owhaoko, though 80 odd miles distant, as the crow flies from Tarawera, I could eee the volume of steam and smoke rising heavenwards The mountain Tongariro, or really Arnahoe, has altered in shape. It must be 90 miles from Tarawera and 10 from Ruapehu. AeJ remember it, ifc was shaped aa a perfect cone j now it is like a cone with part of the top and one tide gone. I think the top must have caved in. The mountain seams to have lost about one-fourth or one-fifth of its height. Ruapehu, ever known as an extinct volcano, showed signs of liie, and emitted steam, smoke, and jets of fire, and now there are several boiling springs on the north-western slopes, on the Wanganui side. I don't expect this mountain will explode, but goodbye to Taupo and Wanganui if so." The remarks about Ruapehu agree to some extent with the statement oi Mr Cuesen, surveyor, to the effectthat the crater of Ruapehu is now a lake of boiling water, which is constantly being added to by the melting of the snow around the summit of the hill. Scientific men should examine these volcanoes without delay.

- Mr Bosisto, on© of the Exhibition Governors, has declined the proffered honour oiC.M.Q, He considers such honours unsatisfactory to colonists*