348 transactions. — Geology. 



" On the morning of the 24th, the geysei' very suddenly 

 resumed its activity, several eruptive explosions following in 

 rapid succession. On two occasions the column of water ejected 

 must have reached a greater altitude than 150 feet, dense 

 ascending clouds of steam accompanying every discharge, and 

 rising to a height of 800 to 1,000 feet before being broken by 

 the wind. 



" On Nov, 22nd the movement of the aneroid exhibited 

 a downward tendency, which commenced with the return 

 of activity in the geyser, and continued during its excessive 

 action. During the evening, as the geyser activity ceased, 

 the opposite movement of the barometer was observed. But 

 on three following days a recurrence of similar periods of 

 activity in the geyser was accompanied by reversed conditions 

 of barometric pressure." 



A paper which will be read before this Institute by Mr. 

 Laurence Cussen at its next meeting will describe in some 

 detail the crater on top of Euapehu, which until quite recently 

 was supposed to be extinct. We learn, however, from that 

 gentleman that the crateral lake is filled with hot water, and 

 that on the 16th April and 23rd May last he observed columns 

 of steam rising as much as 300 feet above the mountam ; and 

 as nothing of the kind has ever been noticed before, it is a fair 

 inference that the volcanic forces were in a state of greater 

 activity than usual. 



Mr. Dunnage, a young officer of the Survey Department, 

 who performed the difficult feat of ascending Euapehu so lately 

 as the 8th of June last — almost mid-winter, in fact — reports : 

 " The snow was in a favourable condition for climbing, but it 

 was necessary to cut each footstep for the last thousand feet. 

 Large quantities of steam were issuing from the little lake in 

 the centre of the crater, nearly 1,000 feet below us, but was all 

 condensed before reaching the top of the crater. The cold was 

 very severe." 



About a fortnight previous to the eruption, one of tlie fuma- 

 roles at Tokaanu, at the south end of Lake Taupo, suddenly 

 burst forth, throwing up showers of mud for several yards 

 round ; but it had returned to its usual state on or about the 

 10th June. 



Major Scannell is good enough to inform us that some little 

 time previously to the eruption, a new hot spring broke out at 

 Wairakei, near the north end of Taupo. 



About a week prior to the eruption, a wave was noted on 

 Lake Tarawera, causing the waters to rise about 2 feet above 

 the ordinary level, which broke on the shores, washing the 

 boats out of the sheds, and causing some alarm to the Maoris, 

 who, apparently, had never witnessed anything of the kind 

 before. At the same date, some visitors to Kotomahana found 



