Analyses of fumarolic gases at White Island, New Zealand, are reported with special emphasis on rare gases (He, Ne, Ar, Kr and Xe). Normalization of major species to rare gases have lead to the identification of several sources: air-saturated meteoric (or marine) water, a magma body, the curst and/or sediments. When compared to Mid Ocean Ridge discharges, the White Island gas discharged represents about 3%, 0.7%, 0.1% and 0.05% of the global water, carbon, sulfur and Helium-3 discharges, respectively. This balance shows that, except for 3He which derives from the mantle, practically all rare gases, water and carbon, and part of sulfur, derive from originally superficial sources. ¿ American Geophysical Union 1990