NOT APPARENT

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 9, Issue 64, 17 April 1946, Page 5

NOT APPARENT

SUBTERRANEAN HOT WATER A SCIENTIFIC OPINION In answer to the Borough Council’s enquiry regarding the . possibility of a source of hot mineral water within tapping distance of the Borough Domain, the Department of Scientific :and Industrial Research inform•ed last Monday evening’s meeting that such possibility was not home out by the investigations of two officers of the Department who had made exhaustive reports.

The letter enclosed the reports which embraced the theory of the supposed link bet wen Awakeri hot .springs and White Island and Whale Island and added that if the Council was still interested it could make further contact with the Depart.ment.

The information caused a smile to go .round the Council table for although most members are intensely interested, two of their number have already tried their luck without success and the whole subject has become something of a standing joke in which open speculation plays .a big part. Cr Sullivan gave his experience. On his farm at Awakeri, he declared an. experimental bore sunk by Mr Madriniac, from the Department had tapped hot water which had eventually created a small lake. The bore had actually to be plugged up in order to stop the flow. He mentioned also the existence, years ago in James- Street, of hot springs and contended that he was still satisfied that there was a seat of hot water .somewhere near the Borough.