GLACIERS ADVANCE.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20232, 16 February 1934, Page 3

GLACIERS ADVANCE.

Remarkable Phenomenon on West Coast. Careful examination by Professor R Speight has convinced him of a remark able fact; the terminal faces of the Franz Josef and Fox Glaciers are again being pushed slowly forward, after having shown a definite tendency to retreat. Careful observations and measurements have proved the Professor’s claim conclusively, and for the past four years the advance has been taking place. Professor Speight returned to Christchurch last evening after a week spent in the work at the glaciers. Professor Speight said that he had made the trip for the express purpose of taking measurements. There was no doubt that the two terminal faces had advanced and had come down the valley further than they had ever done since they began their retreat about 1909. They were further back four years ago, and one could not say definitely how far the faces would advance. The average flow of the glaciers was about two feet a year, and any movement of the terminal face depended upon the amount of ice which was melted from it. The recent advance was no doubt due to a very severe snowfall some years ago, the effect of which was just making itself evident. The frozen snow had pushed the terminal faces further down into the valleys, though to what extent Professor Speight could not say until fie fiad analysed his records. The result of this pressure was that the glaciers were carrying the riverbeds forward and in part were pushing on over them. Professor Speight made a thorough examination of the terminal faces of both glaciers. He was at the Franz Josef face for two full days and at the Fox face for one day.