ERUPTION OF TARAWERA

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1275, 28 June 1886, Page 2

ERUPTION OF TARAWERA

Tauranoa, June 26. I left Potorna this morning at six o’clock by the Tepuke mail coach route, in order to see the extent of damage done by the volcanic deposits at Te Ngae, Toteke, and along the route to Tanranga. Aa we left Botorua, all the surrounding mountains were clothed in snow ; and on this part of the road we had the first fall of enow which had occurred here for four years. It Is stated that the recent volcanic eruption and the alteration of the whole system, will produce c'imatio changes la the Lake district, and that ia all probability It will be colder there. It had been stated that the Tepnke ronte wss again open and fit for traffic, bnt whoever gave such an official utterance was draw. I>g u ion h’S imagination. As this trip was the first after after a two days’ nor’* eaater, with rain, it was taken with misgivings. Four miles from Rotorua the mail coach stuck fast in the voleaoie mud glacier which was flawing down from Te Ngae ranges, acc sa the road. The passengers, knee-deep in mud, endeavored to assist the horses by moving the wheels, and after half an hour’s struggle got the coach released. Had their efforts been unsuccessful Ted Robertson, the driver, intended taking out one of the horses, and forwarding the mail to Tanranga, leaving the passangers to struggle back through the mud as best they cmld to Rotorua. A mile further the coach "went into a sheet of water an acre in extent, the axles baing buried under water. Two new springs appeared to have broken out in Te Ngae ranges. They were pouring over the road where water had been never known before. Along this part of tha route desolation reigned, and Te Ngae is rained, ss the deposit of mud is too deep to admit of tha recovery of tha vegetation. Birds were seen in hundreds dead, sitting as they had been killed by the mud showers. The banks of fences on the road were all tom up by pigs in endeavoring to get food. At Harvey’s and Kirk’s cattle are being kept alive by stacks of hay, and are being killed as rapidly as possible for butchering purposes at a pitiable loss. Animals in the mad were trying to break throngli feccas to get at the hay. At Taheke and Eotoraiti the deposits of mud were almost as heavy, fern and shrnba being flattened level with the ground. After leaving Hunna bash the mad deposit began to get lighter, and the appearance of the country changed, giving hopes that with the return of summer the vegetation will revive. A colony of rats crossed the read in front of the coach from the Wairoa aide, making for the country more clear of deposit. At this part of the route we found a dray

load of goods for a storekeeper at Rotorge abandoned by the roadside, the driver having evidently despaired of getting through, or the horses having succumbed. We met the Rev. Mr Goodyear in a buggy, en route for Rotorua, with other travellers, and warned them of the state of the volcanic mud deposits at Te Ngae, and the absolute necessity of getting ont before nightfall. On reaching the divide ing range the gale which had been vailing for almost two days past again Ms in with renewed severity, accompanied with a pitiless rain The gusts of wind threatened to throw (he coach bodily over the cornice tracks into the gullies below. The rain made the road s» bad that all but the least robust had to work at every range. At Tepuke settlement I was glad to learn that the volcanic deposit now is not regarded as so haavy as to be per* manently injurious. Grasses are again springing up and the eye is gladdened by patches of green here and there.

Sheep Jpve suffered most, but cattle are

getting shelter and food In the bush. All the way down to Tauranga on the eastern side of the track are to be seen carcases of horses and cattle at intervals, * Tauranga, June 28. Messrs Mcßae and Humphries left for Auckland this morning. Their paeseot intention is to proceed to Wellington te lay thair rasp before Government on the

ground that tho salvage party fcr rescuing their goods was ordered back. Yesterday morning W hakore warewa geysers were playing np grandly and tha springs were active. Tikitere was also throwing np a good volume of steam, Rotomabsna must be pretty active as columns cf steam clouds were seen here a distance of over 50 miles away.