NEW GEYSER

Wairarapa Daily Times, 19 June 1931, Page 5

NEW GEYSER

BREAKS OUT AT ROTORUA. A SPECTACULAR SHOT. (By Telegraph — Press Association). ROTORUA, Thursday. With terrific suddenness a new spectacular geyser broke out at 6 o’clock on Wednesday evening near the mouth of the Puarenga Stream, on the shore of Lake Rotorua. The first shot went up over 100 feet. The geyser then played until 4 a.m., when it subsided. It broke out with renewed violence at 3 o’clock this afternoon, playing continually afterward 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 newly occupied Maori whares. After playing for a few days, however, it subsided. The occupants of one whare, a couple with three infants, and of the other, an elderly couple, disturbed since by the continual trembling of the ground, evacuated their homes a week ago, expecting a fresh outburst.

The present outbreak occurred right in the yard of one of the whares, completely engulfing the clothes line and spattering muddy water round the dwellings. When visited this afternoon, the geyser was playing magnificently, sending shots composed of a huge quantity of boiling muddy water over 40 feet in the air, the whole surrounded by a pillar of steam. The scene was reminiscent of Waimangu, and there was a continual trembling of the ground 100 yards away. Thermal activity has been noticeable at Rotorua during the last few weeks. Bohutu is playing regularly, sending up fine shots. The lake front is also very active. .

The latest outbreak is the biggest for many years. The crater is over 250 feet in circumference. If it continues to play it rvill compensate in some measure for the loss of Waimangu.

(The famous. Waimangu geyser, now defunct, was situated some 17 miles from Rotorua. It was considered to be the greatest and most wonderful geyser in the world).