“A BIG BLOW-UP!”

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 1096, 13 May 1913, Page 4

“A BIG BLOW-UP!”

IDEA SCOUTED BY SOUTH ERN SCIENTISTS.

Christchurch, May 10,

The lecturer on geology at Canterbury College, Mr R. Speight, is among those who do not take very seriously the unpleasant predictions by Professor Percival respecting a big blow-up In New Zealand.

In an interview yesterday, he said that the evidence showed that volcanic activity at Rotorua was waning. If. there was any increase whatever in the North Island, the centre of it was Ngaruhoe, It was absurd to describe Tarawera as a safety-valve. If Ihe safety-valve theory had any foundation —he did nut say that it had—there were several much more likely valves. The volcanic line ran from Ruapehu to Tonga, and the centres of eruptions along it would change, but nobody who was well acquainted with the position entertained the probability of anything of a serious characler.

The suggestion that there was a portent ot a disaster in New Zealand was out of the question. It was possible for a disaster to happen, of course, but its probability was most remote. In any case, the volcanic line in New Zealand ran through country which was sparsely populated, and which was fairly remote from centres of population.

It seemed to be somewhat strange, continued Mr Speight, that in those matters people were ready to accept the words of a stranger, who must necessarily possess a very superficial knowledge of the conditions, but ignored the opinions ot those who had made a deep study of the subject for years. He did not think that the statements made in Sydney should be taken seriously, and he regretted that the Press Association had considered them sufficiently important to send over the telegraph lines.

lu connection with Professor Percival’s prediction of a “big blow-up” at Rotorua, Professor Thomas, of Auckland, says that while it is possible we may have a volcanic eruption it is only a possibility. No person need be the least alarmed with speculations of this kind. Thermal activity at Rotorua varies from time to time. He did not think there had been any increase in activity there.