New Zealand lava caves worth preserving for their geologic and geomorphic features(MEMORIAL VOLUME TO THE LATE PROFESSOR TERUHIKO SAMESHIMA)

Auckland is the only district in New Zealand that is known to have lava tube caves. Many small cavities and short tube segments have been found within lava flows from several of the small, late Pleistocene-Holocene, basalt-basanite volcanoes of Auckland Volcanic Field. Excavations for construction sites within the city have uncovered, and de-stroyed, many small cavernous features. No large or long lava caves have been discovered. Wiri Lava Cave, imminently threatened by quarrying activities, is rated of international significance, and fourteen other lava caves are considered to be of national importance for scientific, or educational reasons.publishe