Franz Josef Ice Moving Faster

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31084, 13 June 1966, Page 8

Franz Josef Ice Moving Faster

(From Our Own Reporter) GREYMOUTH, June 12. The advance of the Franz Josef glacier is increasing in speed, according to the latest survey by Mr W. Sara, head of the Greymouth branch of the Geological Survey Department.

In two months and two days the glacier has advanced 100 ft—at a rate of one foot and a half a day. During the previous two months the glacier advance was only 60ft. Mr Sara said the glacier face was rising sharply, and it would soon be impossible to photograph its width, which had grown to 900 ft. The glacier rises sharply to a height of 100 ft, which is doubled a little further back. Every day the glacier comes further into view at the Franz Josef township and can be seen particularly clearly from nearby motels, although bush still shrouds it from the famous tiny St. James’ Church altar window. Signs warn tourists not to

approach the glacier face too closely as great masses of ice can break off at any time, as they did this week when a Taranaki couple had a spectacular view of a giant breakoff by two tons of ice. They received a big fright. The glacier has advanced 250 feet in 12 months.