STATE DE TARAWERA

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 598, 1 August 1933, Page 5

STATE DE TARAWERA

(Press Assri.-

AMERICAN SCIENTIST SAYS . FURTHER U.PHEAVALS POSSIBLE OBSERVATORY AiDViSABLE

-By Telegraph— Copyright).

Auckland, Monday. Dr.- H. T. Stearris, an American ge'ologist, who has been studying tHerihal ahd vblcanic activity in.New Zealand, l'eft for Honolulu hy the Monterey on Satui'day. H'e sperit several w'eeks caH'ying out a g'eblogi'cal examiriation bf the thermal region. He also visited Ngaruhoe and Egm'ont. As a result of his studies, he strongly advocrites the establishment at- R'dt'orua of its neighh'ourhood of a volcatii'e observatofy pi'bperly equipped to register riny signs bf incfeasing tHerihal activity and so make possible ' the predictibn of fui'ther erupti'ons. "I was impressed by the fact that many of the hot riiountains in the Rotorua district, for iristartce, Rainbow Mountain, are really a'ctive volcanoes," said Dr. St'earn^. "The fact ife that th'e geol'ogical time record in Nfew Zealand is very short. You cannot eompare it with Egyptiaii histbry, nor evert with Yellowstone.Pai'k in the United States volcanic history is millions of years older than that bf New Zealand. Pent Up Forces "Anyone who has ha'd a good look at Frying Pah Flat must galn thfe impression of pent-up forces rea'dy at ariy time for another outburst," he said. "In fact, I should h'e rhclirted to think there is every possibility of ario'ther eruption at Tarawera, if not several eriiptions, occuri'ing in- the next 100 years. "That is why I suggest the establlshment of a volcanic observatory in the regibn. Without it, you will havfe no warning if Tarawera blows up again."