VOLUME XXV NUMBER 8 



THE 



JOURNAL OF GEOLOGY 



NOVEMBER-DECEMBER igiy 



THE ACTIVE VOLCANOES OF NEW ZEALAND 



E. S. MOORE 



State College, Pennsylvania 



The northern island of New Zealand has, at the present time, 

 five volcanoes which show more or less activity, besides a large 

 number of others which have been active since Miocene time and 

 are now dormant or extinct. This island has experienced much 

 more volcanism during late geological time than the southern island, 

 which consists largely of sedimentary and ancient metamorphic 

 rocks. After traveling through North Island the writer was 

 impressed by the simple statement of the Maori guide living near 

 Mount Tarawera, who said, "New Zealand has been turned over 

 and over." 



The active volcanoes are White Island, in the Bay of Plenty, 

 which displayed fresh activity in the autumn of 19 14; Tarawera, 

 near Rotorua, which suffered a terrific explosion in 1886; Ruapehu, 

 which is in the solfataric stage and almost extinct; Ngauruhoe and 

 Tongariro, which are in the solfataric stage, but still suffer explosive 

 outbursts, those of Ngauruhoe being of considerable violence at 

 times. The three last-named volcanoes are situated close together 

 on the plateau in the central portion of the island. 



There seems to be a close relationship among all these five 

 volcanoes, as they are arranged along an almost direct line, indicat- 

 ing a zone of Assuring of immense proportions, known as the 



693 



