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This collection contains all the articles from Volume 1, Number 1, 1967 of the Earth Science Journal.
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Publication Coverpage and Contents(Journal Article, Waikato Geological Society, The University of Waikato, 1967) Waikato Geological SocietyCoverpage and Contents of Volume 1, Number 1, 1967 Earth Science Journal.Publication Editorial(Journal Article, Waikato Geological Society, The University of Waikato, 1967) Waikato Geological SocietyThe production of yet another new journal requires some explanation although there need be no apology. The Earth Science Journal is intended to answer the need, caused by increasing specialisation by other journals, for a place in which to publish articles and research reports which are of wide interest to earth scientists, and which cross the boundaries of the traditional disciplines. To this end contributions of reports on research, essays, notes and letters will be welcomed from geologists, geomorphologists, pedologists, climatologists, oceanographers, ecologists and physical geographers.Publication The climate of the Waikato Basin(Journal Article, Waikato Geological Society, The University of Waikato, 1967) de Lisle, J.F.The topography of the Waikato Valley and its position in relation to the large-scale weather system give it warm humid summers, mild winters and a moderate rainfall with a winter maximum. Some typical meteorological situations affecting the valley are described and the individual climatic elements are considered in detail.Publication Volcanic ash beds in the Waikato district(Journal Article, Waikato Geological Society, The University of Waikato, 1967) Pullar, W.A.This report lies somewhere between the "pathfinder" variety and the completed account for the reason that the results of detailed mapping and identification are still being prepared for publication. For the younger beds less than 36,000 years we now know both the source and the distribution, but for the older ashes commonly referred to as the Hamilton ash, sources are unknown and a knowledge of distribution restricted to the Waikato district. The principal source is the Okataina volcanic centre with Taupo as a subsidiary (Healy, 1964; Thompson, 1964 :44), and on this information, current mapping into the Waikato district proceeds from the east. Under the circumstances of partly completed work it seems prudent to discuss relevant ash beds already known (Vucetich and Pullar, 1963:65-6; 1964:45-6) to introduce briefly current work by the same authors and by W. T. Ward, and then to relate all of this to previous work portrayed in a soil-forming ash shower map by Taylor (1953).Publication Note on the occurrence of Taupo pumice in the Hamilton basin(Journal Article, Waikato Geological Society, The University of Waikato, 1967) Tonkin, Philip J.The presence of a thin layer of pumice lapilli and ash close to the surface of the Rukuhia and Moanatuatua peat bogs was recorded by Grange and Taylor (1939). Since this time a similar band of pumice has been noted in many of the other peat areas in the Hamilton basin. In the undeveloped fibrous peats of the Woodlands bog a layer of pumice lapilli 2 to 3 inches thick occurs at a depth of 18 to 20 inches from the surface. This is similar to the observations of Grange and Taylor. In the more loamy peats the pumice layer is predominantly fine ash and any lapilli present are extremely weathered and crush easily. In the fibrous peats it is thought that the fine ash that fell on the bog surface soon dispersed in the loose network of dead material, whereas the lapilli were of sufficient size to be trapped. In the loamy peats more active weathering took place in an acid environment as the organic matter was breaking down. This made the lapilli very fragile, so with drainage and compaction of the peat the lapilli were very soon crushed to fine ash size.Publication Annotated bibliography of central North Island volcanic ash stratigraphy(Journal Article, Waikato Geological Society, The University of Waikato, 1967) Tonkin, Philip J.; Pullar, W.A.Prior to 1929 many observations had been published giving brief accounts of the volcanic ash deposits in various parts of the North Island but no detailed investigations were undertaken. With the incidence of Bush Sickness in the Central North Island mapping of the "ash soils" was undertaken as part of the investigations into the cause of this disease. The work done at this time was the beginning of our present understanding of ash stratigraphy. In this bibliography only papers relevant to the Central North Island ash-showers have been mentioned.Publication Aspects of the geomorphology of the Greywacke Ranges bordering the Lower and Middle Waikato Basins(Journal Article, Waikato Geological Society, The University of Waikato, 1967) Selby, Michael J.The fault-bounded blocks which make up the Greywacke Ranges bordering the Lower and Middle Waikato Basins have a deep red-weathered regolith and are covered by mantles of volcanic ash which can be used for dating ground surfaces. The drainage texture is exceedingly fine compared with that of Dartmoor (U.K.) and Unaka Mountains (U.S.A.) This is attributable to rainfall type, regolith, vegetation cover and soil physical properties. The major types of mass movement are deep fossil slumps on upper slopes where the regolith is deep; debris slides on mid- and lower slopes where the regolith is thin; and seepage heads controlled by ground water conditions. The valley floors show both stream incision, and aggradation resulting from infill with mass movement debris. Deforestation has increased the frequency of mass movement during high intensity rainstorms and the slopes are at present becoming adjusted to changed equilibrium conditions.Publication The surface features and soil pattern of the Hamilton basin(Journal Article, Waikato Geological Society, The University of Waikato, 1967) McCraw, J.D.The Holocene history of the Hamilton basin and development of the soil pattern are closely related. The basin was partly filled by the large alluvial fan of the Waikato River which partly buried a hilly, ash-covered landscape. The normal depositional pattern of fans is recognisable (apex of coarse sediments; middle part with ridges of coarse sediments and swales with fine sediments; toe of fine sediments) but has been modified by changing river courses during fan building. Each of these courses was flanked by levees which dammed valleys and embayments and blocked drainage to form lakes. The lakes were the sources of the present day peat bogs. The properties of the soils developed on the wide range of parent materials and landforms in the basin are summarised.Publication Notes on the hydrology of the Waikato River(Journal Article, Waikato Geological Society, The University of Waikato, 1967) Ridall, G.T.The catchment area of the Waikato River is 5,500 square miles. If its source is accepted as being the Upper Waikato, then its distance to the sea at Port Waikato including its journey through Lake Taupo is 266 miles. It rises, together with the Whangaehu, the Rangitikei and the Wanganui, between the volcanic region of Ruapehu 9,000 ft. above sea level and the Kaimanawa Ranges 5,000 ft. above sea level. The river flows northwards for 34 miles into Lake Taupo, losing its identity into the Tongariro for the last 26 miles to the lake. It emerges from Lake Taupo resuming its proper name and, still flowing northwards, passes for more than 100 miles through a series of lakes formed by hydroelectric dams to Cambridge. From here it continues through a deeply incised channel to Ngaruawahia where it is joined by its major tributary, the Waipa River. From Ngaruawahia to the mouth, a distance of 60 miles, shallow lakes and peat swamps predominate on both sides of the river, many of them protected and drained and developed into rich dairy farms. From Mercer, 35 miles downstream of Ngaruawahia, where slight tidal effects are discernable at low flows, the river changes its general northerly direction to a westerly one and, still 9 miles from the mouth, enters the delta. Here it is fragmented into many channels before emptying into the broad expanse of Maioro Bay and finally emerges by two fairly narrow channels into the sea on the west coast, 25 miles south of Manukau Heads.Publication Geology of the Hamilton region(Journal Article, Waikato Geological Society, The University of Waikato, 1967) Schofield, J.C.This account takes the form of a synopsis which closely follows that prepared for a bulletin entitled "Geology of the Ngaruawahia Subdivision" (Kear and Schofield, in press). Normally such repetition should be avoided but an exception is made in view of delays in publishing the bulletin and of the parochial nature of this first number of the Earth Science Journal.Publication Economic geology of the Waikato(Journal Article, Waikato Geological Society, The University of Waikato, 1967) Kear, DavidThe Waikato contributes between 20 and 25 per cent of New Zealand's mineral production. Aggregate from Mesozoic rocks ranges from good (greywacke) to poor (argillite), with detailed differences being related to the position of the deposit within the New Zealand Geosyncline. Tertiary sediments show rapid facies changes that are reflected in the variability of important coal and limestone deposits. Petroleum and natural gas prospects are marginal at best. Upper Cenozoic deposits include sand, ironsand, pumice, perlite, aggregate, and building stone. Ground water is of vital importance, and is warm or hot in some areas. Good clays are available.Publication Book reviews and Book notices(Journal Article, Waikato Geological Society, The University of Waikato, 1967) Waikato Geological SocietyBook reviews and Book notice from Volume 1, Number 1, 1967 of Earth Science Journal.