EXTENSIVE CAVE SYSTEM.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1696, 12 March 1913, Page 5

EXTENSIVE CAVE SYSTEM.

o . GROTESQUE AND WONDERFUL FORMATIONS. • (By Telegraph—Special Correspondent.) Auckland, March 11. The existence of woiidertul caves in various parts of Ta Kuiti district has been kncSwn to Europeans for many years, and from time to time tho claim is made, of the discovery of a cave system rivalling that of the famous Waitomo iu tho vicinity of Te Kuiti. The most, noteworthy caves known to the present gener•ation are those through wliich the Mangapu Stream' Hows. After it leaves the surface in the Arapai district the stream runs'underground for a distance of about four miles before emerging into daylight iu tho Opoirire Valley, and its subterranean passage is through caves which for size and grandeur are unrivalled in the' district. . Sorfie years ago a party composed of Messrs. Pane, Lqrignn, Thornton, and others essayed an exploration of the caves, but owiug to insufficient equipment were not able to penetrate very far. Sufficient was seen, however, to indicate that very fine sights were to Ire witnessed, and that a thorough exploration of the caves was well worth attempting. On Tuesday, March i, a party from Te Kuiti, consisting of Messrs. H. Rothery and P. Mora, accompanied by Messrs. Lambie and Forsyth, visitors from Taranaki, proceeded to the place where the rivtv enters the ground, prepared to explore the mysteries of . the caverns for a few hours. The party followed the course of tho stream, which runs swiftly tho whole way, for a couple of hours, when they were forced to retrace thoir steps in order to euiergo before darkness set in. Some huge caverns were discovered, the roof in somo cases seeming to be at least 1(10 feet above tho floor! Far above in the distanco could lie discerned the luminous glowworms, but the circle of light from the candles carried .by the explorers was soon lost In tho darkness surrounding them. In places tho going was very rough, and once or t«;ice tho explorers were forced to swim whero miniature lakes had been/formed by huge; boulders which had evidently fallen, from the roof into the bed of tho stream. Grotesque and wonderful formations wero como across in-some of the caves, the stalactite and stalagmite formations being on a larger and more imposing scale than any to bo scon at Waitomo. The party kept to tho bed of the main stream, but there are numerous tributary streams from both sides _ flowing into the main body, and there is every indication that a very extensive cave system exists apart from 'the caverns through which the main stream Hows. Time did not permit of anj* deviation from the main channel, except- on the backward jburney. Seeing a glimmer of daylight above, Messrs. Lambie and Forsyth clambered out, and discovered a sloping tunnel, up wliich it was possible to climb to the surface. This opening is about a mile from the place where the stream enters the ground, and by using this entrance future exploring parties can save considerable time. 'Ihe distance from To. Kuiti to the entrance of the caves is about seven miles by the Arapac Road.