ERUPTION OF TARAWERA

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1263, 14 June 1886, Page 2

ERUPTION OF TARAWERA

lATEST PARTICULARS. Th§ Disturbances Spreading Southward. Rotorua June 14 A slight shock of earthquake was felt at 11.5 on Sunday momma:, and shortly afterwards volumes of steam were seen rising from the new crater. Tho natives think the eruption is at Awliaki, south ward of Paeora Range. The disturbance appears to bo spreading towards Taupo. There was less activity at Tarawera yesterday, and a clearer view could bo obtained. Thera are numerous centres of activity.

Statement of an Eye Witness.

Auckland June 10.

Mr Mcßae, hotelkeeper, states :—About 12.30 the earth began to ahake, and shook couuuously for an hour before tie erup-

tion broke oat. When tine w*s first s»*ou it was ja»t like a i<raaU c ud on the mountain, with fleshes of li<t‘tuing of great brilliancy All were g t <>ut o f bed and went up to the old miss.oi house t-* ascertain the cause of the occurrence We saw a si-ht tflat no man who saw u

CAN EVER FOI.OET,

Apparently the mouutain had three craters, and the fl im ’a were shooting up' fully a thousand feet high. " here seemed to be continous showers of balls of fire for miles around. As a storm appeared to be coming on we returned to the hotel, and shortly afterwards what seemed to bo heavy hailstones came pouring on the roof, which continued about a quarter of an hour. This was succeeded by a fall of

HEAVY STONES, FIRE BALLS, AND MUD,

lava f tiling after the m tuner of rain The weight of tnesa subitaa.-ea upon uie roof soon began to tell upon it. The first portion that gave was the detached kitchen add pancry, and then ill col «-ol .->■ in the smoking room. Those preheat were Mr and Mrs Humphries, Minett. Terrace Hotel; S-übbs, gentleman, Terraco Hotel; Bamoridge, young tourist.; Fallon, storekeeper ; George Baker, cook ; Mary Kean, Mary Bridan, John and William Bird, and my brother-in law, one of whom arrived on the previous night from Rotorua with a waggon load of goods for the store. There were also some Maoris la the house The ROOF OF THE HOTEL OaVE WAY

about half-past four, a m,, with a loud smash, and the whole nnper storey co! lapsed, the below. We loft the smoking room and went Into the drawing room, which was the newest part of the house, and we thought it would stand longes", but it was with the greatest difficulty that we got there, going through falling stones and mud, which impeded us when we want outside. Everybody without exception was dool and sen-possessed. The back part of the house, in which was the dining room gave way next, and ali of a sudden wo heard

A FSABFUL CRASH

and a roar, as if thousa ;s of tons of stuff were falling, and we heard the balcony coino down. The danger of mir position was now fearfully apparent. Cambridge remarked on this fact, and suggested we should engage in religious services. Ha remarked with awful calmness bo expected to be before lus Maker in an hour or so. We acquiesced, and Bambridge road a pution of Scripture, and sail a prayer, in which all fervently joined. At the same time we agreed we should i make an effort to save ourselves, and with this object we determined to leave the hotel, and make for the first Maud whare wo saw standing. At the time a terrific gale was blo wing, and

HOT STONES AND MLT

still descended incessantly. We agreed to stick together. Mr and Mrs Humphries and Mr Cambridge went out first, and two girls followed with tho rest. It was so dark that wo could not ace a hand before us, and wo directed our way out by instinct, calling to one another to ascorta in onr relative positions. One of the men, myself, mid two girls arrived at Sophia’s whare, when wo found Mr and Mrs Humphries, Miner % Stubbs, Bambridge, and Baker missing IN A SHOWER OT STONES AND MUD I went out to try to find where they were. I found Baker stuck agu ust a tree, and took him to tho whare. I went back to tho hotel to find tho others. I found Stubbs and Minnelt, who, having groped about some time, hud returned to tho drawing-room, I directed them to the whare,°and then went towards Wharepuni, and my delight was great when I heard tho voice of Humphries answering my shout. Ho and bid wife were making for tho carved house, and they reached there, and remained all night. I went back to the whare, looking for Bambridge. I could get no answer, and I have not seen him since. My belief is he was stunned by falling s'ones ana buried under the mud, which now lies five feet deep all over the settlement, covering everything up. At half-past six I got a candle in a bottle, and went up to the residence of tho Hazard family. It was still pouring mud anti stones.

I WAS KNOCKED WWS throe or four limes. I had previously been struck dowu many times when looking for the others. When I reached the school residence I found tho two eldest daughters, a Maori girl, Blythe _ ("the Government Sur r oyorj, and an assistant (Lundon), some of whom wore sheltering in a fowlhouse, and the others were under part of the house, the wall of which was still standing. THE HOUSE WAS IX RUINS and flames, and I could see no signs of Mr and Mrs Hazard and the other children I sent a party down to Sophia’s vhare, and thence as soon as the daylight came, which was about 8 o’clock, all the party, with the exception of John Bird and myself, darted for Rotorua I looked again for Bambridge, and made a search for Mr and Mrs Hazard, but was unsuccessful. I then collected the horses, and started for Ohinomutft. When we g<t a couple of miles on the road we met Humphries, Minnett and Blythe returning with Douglas and Constable Maroney, who bad ridden from Rotorua. We all returned to Wairoa and commenced .

TO DIO FOR THE BODIES of the Hazards, and to our great astonishment we discovered Mrs Hazard alive. Two children were found dead beside her, but she was not greatly injured. We continued operations-aniil we were quite exhausted, but we found no bodies. We carried Mrs Hazard to Sophia’s wharo, and applied as restoratives brandy and port wine, which were the only things we could get. A relief party, headed by Dunbar, Johnston, tho Government Agent, and E. Robertson, coach proprietor, has arrived.

Sophia Interviewed.

Auckland, Jane 12.

Sophia, the well-known Maori guide, has been Interviewed. She said she had distributed the clothing in her store to tho Natives, who escaped almost naked. She lest two wooden houses aud a store at Wairoa. The wbare where she lived is the only dwelling In tho ooca prosperous settlement, and it is half buritd in mad. She wept copiously, and said that Wairoa was gone, and she could tell nothing definite about the fate of Te Arlkiu and Moarea settlements, but sa:d there was little hope they were saved.

The Buried Pahs. RoroBUA, 12 (noon)

A party of Natives in search of relatives supposed to be in the throe buried pahs returned from Roto-iti after an unsuccess ful day's operations. They now require a boat. They intend to take it overland ten miles and cross the Rotomahana lake for purpose of getting across at the back of the locality. They report that they o->uld see no bush nor living thing in the 1 vicinity where the pahs were situated, I

A Tribe Destroyed. A Native named Mekaka and his wife arrived from Mojjrea on the night of the eruption, and so escaped. They had brought their daughter, who was suffering from a burn, to be treated by the doctor at Rotorua. The Native says the settlement must bo : omploteiy destroyed with twenty Maoris and their chief. He tbiuko the settlement of Te Anfci, with forty men and tho head chief Rang! Hena are destroyed, with an Englishman named

a biker, from Waikato, ’"'he Natives were 'he ramnaut of a once powerful tribe, and only one of their number escaped through being near Rotorua, and now laments the destruction of bis people.

Apathy of llovernmeat.

The shock has n >* auoji.led an i ashes have ceased oloW' j;.: about, riffa s are oeiny; made to pe ■,■■■ me uhe cou- . y iajared, The tr»c*a re -ibh er*r ■ rot milj'-. It is Conoiaerod ij,-e i;<»- .a-lit are showing dis^i.<.ef.il -tpvhy not sending io thb sucoou-, if p of iho survivors of f hj Naive .nbes i and about Rotomais .a, where a wbo'i riba are supposed to no bodied wifi; a European name; Brown aud his family. Great anxie'y is felt, and u ia conjectured that aoma Natives may be still surviving. In case of ail the boats being destroyed and the country buried in ashes a connection shoald be effected The residents are willing to go out but the Government have not authorised any exp- n litnra. Green lake ia aiiii smoking and .torn* lake rising Tow morning Dr. dndora reports that the springs are ua; jared but smoke and steam are rolling long in M-dame and the priest's baths in great quantities, which are nviications not generally so favorable as y rteeday. ■> li are hard <» , work c .'■•■'sire a. There I-. uu sign of Bambridge. Nc more Maoris have baan dug out. Four cat* and a dog have been exhumed alive, sad two pigs.

Mokoia Breaking Oat The Island of Mokoia, Lake itotorua, is reported to be softening. An eruption ef steam is taking place, and a volcanic eruption is f-are i. A cotter has taken the Natives away.

The Terraces Destroyed. Mr Bar;, surveyor, h»s juatr#*rrived, and brings a->#a tnat die terraces are destroyed. The Rotoaiahau* half blown away, while Lakes and Kaiteriria are now seething The ground is still trembling with earthquake. The damage to the country is much greater than previously reported.

Distressed Settlers. J auraNoa. June 12,

The excitement aere haa almost subsided deavy shivers of dust and pumice fell at Opotiki and Whakatane, covering the ground to the depth ofsevenl inches. Feed for- a time is completely destroyed and not exprctod to recover for many m>n ha. The settlers are noir at their wits’ end to know what to do. Their cattle are reported to be roaming about and bellowing to a state of starvation. The Kangiora and Tepoke settlers t*red badly from the same cause. Fern and tutu la these places are completely gone, and many of the settlers are preparing to shift their stock further down the coast, t'hare is no appeaaauce of a further disturbance at llotorua.

JSpread of the eruptions.

Auckland, Jane 13

The latest telegram received here from Rotorua stotea that Messrs Biy h and Burt have arrived, and report seeing an immense v dcanic crater belching between the peaks where the Erst eruption occurred and Galatea. The whole country still in a state of eruption. Mud continues to belch from Obinemutn, end if the wind goes round to the east It is not known what the consequences may be.

Maori Tangi. To-day the Maoris were burying their dead, and the picture was a sad one, a tangi being held. A party have tried to get to Rotomahana and found it Impossible to proceed, the debris being up to the horaea’ girths.

The end of Te tiki. Wellington. June 14.

Mr Gray, Secretary oi T-digraphs, baa received the following from ulaketa, dated Juno 14:5, 7.30 p.m. :— '* Mr Gordon, postmaster at Whakstana, has just reported the following ; —At 11 am. a .Native who escaped from Kuawahla, on the Whakatano side of Lake Xarawera, states that tium where be was he could see the settlement of Te Ar.kl, between Kotomahjna and Wairoa, destroyed, killing Samuel Brotva and about forty Natives. Another Native warned Mr Macpberaoa, of Matata, and Mr George Creek, of \Vhakatane, that Lake Tara* weia has risen about 30ft or -iOft, and also that before the late eruption it rose. This last information was received 'by Mr Gordon from Mr Greek at 3.30 p.m., but 1 cannot hud out if the na.ng ocoarted today. Mr Gordon aiau states that Wbakatane settlers intend watching to* night for a flood or other disturbance*. The Native who warned Creak left immediately for other settlements."

Government TelegramsThe foil wiag telegrams hare been received by Mr Ba lance : “Save just asertame i that old Tuhoto, a civil list pensioner, of Te Wairoa, is missing There is no hopes of finding him alive. Mehaka, the .Native mentioned in my last telegram as having left Te Ariki on Tuesday, has enumerated fifty-nlaj persons known to be there, and twenty-three at Mourea, eighty-two in all. H. D.Johnson, Government Agent.” "■Returned from Wairoa lata last evening. Brought, in the bodies of Mr Hazard, three children, and nephew, five in all. The inquest will be held this afternoon by Mr Brabant, H. M., ai d the interment will take place tc-morrow. Had a large party out to get the road opened through the bush sufficiently to allow the passage of vehicles. Mr Mclntosh, road overseer, has arrived, and is to-day engaged improving it so as to enable waggons taring In salvage goods. A party of out this morning to assist the'iVStivea searching for the bodies. Got out the body of an old woman yesterday. One old man named Rawh»i, who was not missed during the excitement, was found emerging from his house, out of which he managed to dig hia way. An old man named Piko died during Thursday night I owing to the shock to the system. Have not yet distributed about any food or clothing, as Natives here will entertain the Tubourangl survivors for a day or two, and will lend them blankets &c., during that time, A deputation from the Ngati- . pikiaa asked this morning for one ton of Sour and three bags of sugar to add to the food they can provide, to be charged against rents. Tho Ngatiwahiaa, a section of the Tuhourangis, have just come in, and wish to take the survivers to their settlement at Te Whakarewacewa. I think that is a better plan. I will then ascertain the exact wants and relieve them. I do not wtsh to launch out extravagantly. There is no danger at present of atarvacion, bat they will require relief on a considerable scale daring the whole of the winter and spring until they can start cultivations somewhere and raise food for themselves. I should be glad if a section of the railway here cou.d be pat in hand at onoo, to enable them to earn something towards their support, or that the road from here towards Faeroa could be formed. There la no further news about the terraces. The Natives did not got within seven miles of them, so we

cannot place very much reliance on their report. Mr James Stewart 0.E.,

has just started out with a party, and intends, if possible, ascertaining the exact state of affairs before they retuyn.

Tney expect to be away two or three days, and are going by way of Rotokakahi and Pariheru. Mr MoCansiand arrived last

evening from Rotoitl sawmill, and reports the roofs of the blacksmith's shop and

small buildings ware crushed in, bat th# mill and main buildings have been safed by scraping off the deposit, Mr Mcßery

faooits his raupo accomodation hoa«e gjaahed, bpt mchanegln the sprioga nt TlKltare. Mr Marvey, of Te Ngae, h’.3 just informed me that tb-* deposh is on. abour 60. de.“p on the eloper, and lie hopes to be able to pull through. The) • is a r‘M os+i to take out * toat to try *c reach Mouera and Te Arikh The.e w«ua Eu u] eia nimo Bnr r. living at ih< latter place A Native who left there oe Tu“sday to ink.- i hero ia not the slightest chance of finding any survivors. AH roads ee-iward of this place are in a frightful mots, rouderin 1 . travailing diflicult. Will rep. rl further as particulars are ascertained. —H. D. Johnston, Government Agent."

Baiabrldge’d Body Found.

The correspondent of the “ Press telegraphs.—l mot a large party of volunteers dipping around Mcßae’s hotel for the missing tourist Baindrldge. Jus - as they gave up <he search one party white stooping for a specimen saw the tops of a man's fingers nnder the post of Mcll u s. verandah, and on the earth ard tiinoor being removed tl’.o remains of poor Emubridge appeared. He :ad bee 1 c - 'ished by the failing o! ‘-he v-.r .nc-ih ami <-ov-.;-ed with i l !*''.!- H*a hand' tvert' fttjuVß hj*> hr ad holding a s-awl, and the ftl hie weight had crushed turn into a siting position. His battered head and broken limbs showed an instantaneous and punless death, without de-troy.n 1 the face.

The Funerals of the Victims. . The bodies of the Hazard family and Mr Bainbridge wore interred this afternoon. A Terrible Spectacle.

Mr W. M Berry wires that the Terraces are gone. The whole place occupied by them and by Rotomahaoa ia now a series ef great volcanoes, and a grand and terrible spectacle. Huge boulders and showers of ashes are being thrown up by there. Tarawera is as far as we could see it free from volcanic disturbance. We could not see the site of tire White Terrace for smoke and steam, but it cannot exist. The Pink Terraco looks as if it had fallen in. All the Natives about Rotomahananuisl have perished.

Dr Hector’s Opinion. Taosa-oa, June 12.

Dr Hector is of opinion that the dust that lays on the road will ultimately prove benclicial. The dust is heavy and it is just what the light soil of Tauranga requires.

Disturbances in White Island. It is reported that White Island shows unusual signs of activity.

Enormous Destruction of Stock. Taukanoa, June 12

A number of people are just in from Te Puke and Coast, and report the whole district presents a desolate appearance. All the feed is completely ruined until next spring The road between hero and Te Puke is strewn with dead sheep and horses. Most of the former perished by being poisoned with tutu. The la’ter were swamped.