RABAUL ERUPTIONS

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 136, 10 June 1937, Page 10

RABAUL ERUPTIONS

COURAGE AND TRAGEDY

WOMAN REMAINS

(From "The Post's" Representative.) SYDNEY. June 4.

Stories of courage and tragedy have been wirelessed from Rabaul, where the eruption of three volcanoes has necessitated the almost complete evacuation of the capital and caused huge losses. Officials, who include the Administrator (Brigadier-General McNicoll), wireless operators, who are keeping Eabaul in touch with the world, and police, native and European, are sticking to their posts in the stricken town under terrifying conditions. Only one woman remain there. She is Mrs. C. R. Bignell, manageress of the Rabaul Hotel. She refused point blank to desert her post when all the other women were taken to Kokopo. Mrs. Bignell did not remain in the danger zone out of any false sense of heroism; she knew that if the men in Rabaul were to cart stores and do their other duties efficiently they would require good food and she spends the days cooking meals. Mrs. Bignell is noted for her pluck | and endurance. For many years she | lived on a plantation with her husband in the Solomon Islands. When illhealth made it necessary for Mr. Bignell to go away, she carried on alone. The Administrator and other white men have been deeply impressed with the bravery and calmness of the natives. It was expected that superstitution would make them panic-stricken but they have accepted the eruptions philosophically, and their good behaviour and help greatly facilitated the evacuation. THE FIRST RUMBLINGS. Rabaul was celebrating the Coronation. Hundreds of gaily clothed natives paraded in the streets and flags flew from buildings and houses. The lawns were green and the palm trees reared their green heads to the sky. The picture theatres were full, there were gay receptions at the clubs and hotels, and everyone was happy. Then began those ominous rumblings that preceded the eruptions. At first no one took much notice of them, but they grew stronger. The residents who had motor-cars went out of the small city to see what was happening. They saw ash and stones falling from Vulcan Island. The wind changed, and ash settled over Rabaul. Soon, Government House and other residences were coated in ash. People were covered in ash; it got into their eyes and into their hair. The white villas that glittered among the green foliage could not now be seen. Ash and mud had seeped into every corner of Rabaul. Today, Rabaul presents a scene of extraordinary desolation. One correspondent sent the following message: "The film of pumice and volcanic ash which is settling over the city makes it seem like a buried city just revealed by excavation.'l ■ LOSS OF TWO SHIPS. A graphic description was given of the loss of the steamer Durour, which was on the slipway when the eruptions began, and had been shaken by several earthquakes. "The scene in the harbour was amazing," said an eyewitness. "The side of Vulcan Island had been rising and the officers of the Durour left the ship in a launch in the hope that they would be able to secure some remarkable photographs. Suddenly there was a loud report, at sea, and the men thought it wiser to return. The men jumped ashore and raced for the Durour in the hope that they would be able to save some of their belongings, but they were too late, for the Durour had sunk. Some of the officers and crew, seeking to escape from the shower of mud and pumice, raced a mile on foot over hot pumice. Their plight was noticed by Fred. Hay, manager of the slip, and he gallantly went to their assistance with his car." ■ Another small steamer, the Duris, dragged her moorings and disappeared. A vivid pen picture of the destruction and desolation has been given by Brigadier-General McNicoll. He says that the present bad situation will be intensified when rain comes, as the roofs of all houses are thickly covered with volcanic dust which will become thick mud directly it becomes wet. The roads are covered with pumice as are the branches of trees. The general manager of Amalgamated Wireless in New Guinea, Mr. L. A. Hooke, has revealed the conditions under which his assistants have worked during the past few days. "The operators have carried on 4'ie traditions of their calling by remaining at their posts in the face of danger and difficulties," he said. "Showers of pumice, stpne and mud drove them temporarily from the station at Rabaul, cut off the electricity supply upon which they depended, and rendered their typewriters useless. New circuits have been arranged so that, whatever happens, the service cannot break down completely." FOODx AND BLANKETS. Meanwhile, ships are racing to the stricken area with food and clothes. The Malaita is carrying a cargo of bedding, camping equipment, clothing, cooking utensils, tooth brushes, shoes, towels, hurricane lamps, vegetables, other food, and medical supplies for the refugees at Kokopo. H.M.A.S. Moresby is also steaming to Rabaul from Thursday Island with supplies. There are newspapermen on the Malaita representing metropolitan newspapers throughout the country. Descriptions of the effect of the eruptions and the plight of the refugees have been filling many columns in the papers during the week. Discussing the cause of the eruptions, Professor Cotton, who is Professor of Geology at Sydney University, said it was fortunate for Rabaul that they took place over a period of days. "If it had happened suddenly—if the violence had been confined to a few hours -r-Rabaul would probably have been completely blotted out," he said. "If the sea bed at Rabaul had risen there would have been a violent earthquake."

It is difficult at the moment to assess losses, but since the territory was taken over the Commonwealth has spent nearly £500,000 in the erection of administrative buildings in Rabaul alone. Mr. H. H. Page, Government Secretary at Rabaul, who is visiting Sydney, said that in addition buildings belonging to various firms were very valuable. He said it was too early to speak of possible new capitals until it was known what would happen to Rabaul, but Wav, in his opinion, would be hopeless as a capital.