LAKE AND MOUNTAIN

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 71, Issue 6144, 3 October 1945, Page 6

LAKE AND MOUNTAIN

TAUPO AND RUAPEHU POSSIBILITY OF CONNECTION RAISED The possibility of a connection between the raising of the level of Lake Taupo and the activity of Mt. Ruapehu was mentioned in the .House of Representatives by Mr W. J. Broadfoot, who asked an urgent question of the Minister in charge of Scientific and Industrial Research. Mr Broadfoot’s question was as follows : “Has consideration been given to the possibility of the raising of the level of Lake Taupo being responsible for the recent abnormal activity of Mt. Ruapehu? Is it-not a fact that since the Lake level has been raised the hot pools on the lake road side have risen to the hill side among the houses of the Maori people? Has the Minister’s attention been drawn to the recent statement of Mr A. C. Beck, of the Geological Department, that the activity of the mountain was increasing? Will the Minister have the possibility referred to investigated without delay?” Replying, the Minister (Mr Sullivan) said that he had been advised by the Secretary of Scientific and Industrial Research that an investigation of the relationship between the raising of the level of Lake Taupo and the eruption of Mount Ruapehu has been made and is being studied by the staff of the Geological Survey office. From investigations carried out on the spot the relationship is regarded as being remote. Nevertheless, the possibility cannot be entirely ruled out 1 , even though it is considered to be most unlikely. Since the level of the Lake was raised and the eruption of Ruapehu commenced, officers of the Geological Survey, in association with others who have had a long experience in the district, have examined the location and activity of the hot springs in districts immediately surrounding Lake Taupo. These investigations have indicated no rise in the levels or the activities of the hot springs in this region. Volcanic eruptions occur in spasms, periods of activity and quiescence succeeding each other fairly rapidly. Ruapehu’s eruptions follow this course, and as officers of the Geological Survey furnish periodical bulletins concerning the eruption, they report day to day changes in activity. The activity of Ruapehu and all influences likely to be associated with it are at present under continuous investigation by the Geological Survey. Special instruments are now being assembled and very shortly will be installed in appropriate locations in the district to provide further information concerning any earth movements which may be occurring. From observations on the spot, and from instrumental recordings already being made in the district, there is nothing to indicate any reason for expecting marked increase in volcanic activity in *he region.