WHITE ISLAND ERUPTION.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXX, Issue 30, 22 September 1914, Page 2

WHITE ISLAND ERUPTION.

CAUSE OF THE DISASTER*

JjPie Pbebi Abbociatios.J Tauranga, September 21. A reporter of the Bay of Plenfcj Times interviewed Colonel 0. Arnold Ward, a civil engineer, who has always taken the keenest interest in seismic volcanic phenomena. In reply to a question as to the possible cause of the disaster, Colonel Ward said in the absence of details, it was only possible to give a conjecture. White Island, he said, was the most consistently active of New Zealand volcanoes, though it was quite away on an island summit. The volcano was submerged for more than half its height, and may be compared with the hollow of the tooth, being merely a shell of cliffs, from 200 to 800 feet surrounding an oblong crater. The floor of the crater stands a fair height above sea level, and was generally accessible through two breaks in the crater wall. The' south-east end of the crater was roughly half a mile long by a quarter of a mile wide, with a small lake and several fumaroles. The water of the lake was very strongly impregnated with hydrochloric acid, of a very high temperature. It had been considerably drained away by the company working the sulphur deposits. . Many places from top to bottom of the crater were dotted with steam jets strongly impregnated with acid gases. It therefore follows that the rocks and debris composing the walls would be in an unstable condition, owing to the decomposition by acid and vapour, and falls or landslides are liable to occur from time to time. The actual time of any such fall would probably often be determined by the occurrence of one of the minor tremors to which the island was frequently subject.

Considerable eruptions of steam occur at intervals generally about this time of the year. He had measured several with instruments in regard to the height of the steam column, and found the same frequently from six to nine thousand feet. The highest recorded yet was in May 26th of the current year.

From evidence available, Colonel Ward attributed the present disaster to a fall of cliff debris due to the natural causes mentioned above. ,The pi*sailed black smoke recorded as having been seen from the mainland was simply an immense volume of fine dust which naturally follows a big fall, carried to a great height, by steam and hot air always rising from the crater. Certainly there had been no eruption of magnitude or the earth tremors would have been felt throughout the Bay of Plenty. At least he had not seen any evidence of abnormal activity for some weeks past, nor felt any tremor. Whether the sulphur mining operations or the partial draining of the lake had anything to do with the disaster it was impossible to say without further information, but as all hands appear to have been buried it seems likely that the disaster occurred without any premonitory signs. At the same time the men would probably bo at a meal or. gathered together in thenquarters for some similar purpose, and the eruption would not have occurred in working hours. In regard to the reported outbreak of a hot spring on the mainland, while not impossible, he was inclined at present to regard it as simply a coincidence if true. They must remember that, all sorts of wild rumors always crop up about a disaster such as the present.

FORTUNATE ESCAPE OF THE MANAGING DIRECTOR.

INTERESTING STORY OF A TRIP TO THE ISLAND.

Auckland, September 21

I A fortunate escape is that which has been experienced by Dr. Milson, of Auckland, Mr W. H. Willoughby (managing director of the Sulphur Company), and Mr J. L. Strevins (company's chemist). These gentlemen were- due to have left Auckland for White Island on September Bth, and presumably would have been on tho island when the eruption took place had their original plans been carried out. The indisposition of a member of the party was the sole reason of tho fortunate postponement of tho trip.

An interesting story was told this morning in the course of an interview by Mr Strevins. "There has certainly been a great deal of volcanic activity on the island lately," said Mr Strevins. "Even so, it was not considered to me by any moans an unsafe place on which to reside. Maori tradition has credited the place with a similar degree of activity for a thousand years, and it was presumed to lie safe for another thousand geologically. However, years may lie counted in moments, and apparently tho unexpected lias happened. Thermal activity at White Island has for a long time past boon quite six times as groat as that at Whakarewarewa, and those residing on the island have received frequent shock* and other evidences of volcanic activity.

For instaiicr, two months ago, Mr Stevins, in company with the manager (.Mr McKini) and nn expert ("*Tp Miovel) sent out hy English and Canadian investors, had a sensational exporienoe. The area of White island is only about 1000 acres, but its crater rises to a height of 10001't, and it took tho exploring party eight hours to negotiate its circumference. Starting at eight o'clock in the morning they noticed that there was a continual haze over one part of the country. They intended traversing this, which they thought they could pierce, hut when well into it thev found that the aw

was thick with dust and ash. ! %P° dense did it become, in fact, times they could scarcely see ■P* other, and the country they yr© negotiating was of the roughest possible description. For Hours they/ere in a fairly perilous position,, and seriously considered the expediency of attempting to retrace their steps. Fortunate for them that they did not attempt to do so, for shortly after discussing this suggested change of plan there were three Loud explosions like the firing of cannon, and the country immediately behind them was the scene of a considerable nnheaval. Ultimately the party returned to camp smothered in dust and ash, which was an inch thick about parts of their clothing. At times, Mr Strevins stated, great volumes of smoke, dust and ash belched forth from the crater to a .height of 6000 ft or 7000 ft. The crater 'itself is a thousand feet above the sea level and the smoke is often blown up five times as high as the crater. Occasionally dust and asli descend thickly upon the area known as "the flat." where the quarrymen had their quarters, and it was not an infrequent thing for it to come down four inches thick. Despite these little experiences, Mr Strevins says White Island was not at all an unhealthy place to live upon. Men always felt well and possessed good appetites, and the place where their huts were located was considered to be the safest on the island.