A CHEERFUL PROFESSOR.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1746, 10 May 1913, Page 5

A CHEERFUL PROFESSOR.

NEW ZEALAND'S VOLCANIC ENERGY PREDICTS A BIG BLOW-UP. By Teleerapli—Press Association—Copyright Sydney, JJay 9. Professor Pcrcival, volcanologist, of Freiburg University, who is returning to Germany, predicts a big blow-up in New Zealand, ono perhaps more destructive than the famous Tarawera. Tho cause of volcanic energy in New Zealand is along a line of fault, running from tho middle of the Bay of Plenty across tho North Island from north-north-east to south-south-west. Ho, says he notiocd a great increase in 1 the "activity nt-Kotorua since his visit in 1897, From this, with other indications, he has deduced that an outbreak is likely. He declared that if the magnetic pull operates over that region an eruption will occur. Tarawera was tho safety valve of that area, but tho crater of Tarawera had filled lip, and hod probably become extinct. Thero must be a . vent for the volcanic energy, but it was impossible to say where and when it would break forth.

WORTH LITTLE CREDENCE. With reference to the foregoing prediction of Professor Percival, Mr. R. Speight, >of Canterbury College (writes tho Dominion's Christchurch correspondent), remarked to an!interviewer: "This is one of those alarming and sensational statements that little credence should be attached to. Tho line of fault does exist, and it will at times break out at various places, and the centro of activity will change. The gen'jiral appearances are, however, that volcanio action is decadent, though a little while ago Ngnuruhoe was more active than it had boon for some time. Volcanic activity in the thermal districts is on the decline. In any cose, this very alarming statement does not affect the position in New-Zealand as a whole, but it u ono of those dangerous things that cause so many people in different parts of tho wcrld, especially in Australia, to think that Now Zealand is in'imminent danger of being blown up and sinking beneath tho sea. One remark that earthquakes in Australia are severe, 'even more severe than in New Zealand. New Zealand has a reputation for volcanic actiyity that it does not deserve. Statements of this sort are made by persons w'lio rush through the country, and people pay more attention to thcin than they pay to those who are on the spot and acquainted with the character of tho country here. The volcanic districts are in a remote part of the country, sparsely populated, and if thcro were any seriohs eruption it would not be likely to do- much damage. Tho statement that Tarawa is a kind of safety valve is extremely unlikely, because, there arc other sports where more activity exists."