HUGE NEW GEYSER PLAYS AT ROTORUA

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 144, 19 June 1931, Page 5

HUGE NEW GEYSER PLAYS AT ROTORUA

SPATTERS MUDDY WATER ROUND MAORI WHARES.

Per ureas Association. ROTORUA, June 18. With terrific suddenness, a new and spectacular geyser broke out at 6 p.m. on Wednesday near the mouth of the Puarenga Stream, on the shores of Lake Rotorua. The first shot went over 100 ft, playing until 4 a.m., when it subsided. It broke out with renewed violence to-day at 3 p.m., playing continually afterwards every few minutes. The first activity in this locality occurred a few weeks ago twenty yards from the present outbreak, when a former geyser suddenly erupted, endangering two near-by occupied Maori whares, but, after playing for a few days, it subsided. The occupants of one whare were a couple with three infants, and of the other an elderly couple. They were disturbed subsequently by a continual trembling of the ground, and evacuated the place a week ago, expecting a fresh outburst. The present outbreak is right in the - . ot tflc whares, completely engulfing the clothes-line and spattering water round the dwellings. \\ hen visited, this afternoon, the geyser was playing magnificently, sendmg huge shots of boiling, muddy water o\ er 40ft the whole being surrounded by a pillar of steam. The scene was reminiscent of the Waimangu district A continual trembling of the ground could be felt a hundred yards away. thermal activity has been noticeable at , Rotorua for the last few weeks Pohutu playing regularly and sending up fine shots. The lake front is alsS very active. The present outbreak is the biggest for many years. The crater is over. 250 ft in circumference, and if it continues, will compensate in some measure for the loss of Waimangu.