TERRIBLE EARTHQUAKES.

Feilding Star, Volume VII, Issue 155, 10 June 1886, Page 3

TERRIBLE EARTHQUAKES.

LATEE PAETICULAES.

A WHOLE FAMILY KILLED.

AN HOTEL WRECKED.

EARTHQUAKES THROUGHOUT A WHOLE JSiGHT.

LOSS OF LlFtf THOUGHT TO BE

HEA.VY.

LPee United Pbess Association]

Wellington, This Day.

The Native Minister has received a telegram to the effect that the house of Hazzard, schoolmaster, Wairoa, near Tarawera, was struck by lighting, and the whole family killed, except the two eldost daughters, who were rescued Iby Mr Larden. The blue mud is boiling up everywhere. Mr Eae's hotel is com- ; pletely wrecked, and one tourist is missI ing. Several natives have lost their lives, but the exact number is not known. The Government agent has left Botorua for Wairoa with a relief party. The following telegrams have been received by the TJnder-Secretary for Crown Lands from the officer in charge at Botorua :— We are in the midst of a terrible convulsion of nature. The extinct volcano cones, Tarawera and Buatohia burst into activity this morning with a constant succession of earthquakes. The thunder and lighting was almost incessant, and is still continuing. Immense volumes of flames and smoke from the cones, and steam from the locality of White terrace. Showers of dust and 'grit reached here a little before six. o'clock, but a fortunate shift of the wind has since diverted them. An awfully grand sight and resembles Martin's picture of the Last Day. People are greatly excited and many have cleared out for Oxford md Tauranga. The lake has risen coasiderably and many springs have busrt out. There is a small geyser just below my house. Several Natives are known to be killed and think there is no hope for those at To Ariki and Moreti. Some surveyors from Wairoa have arrived, who look as though they had been through a lime kiln. Wairoa is covered with ten feet of mud, stones, and ashes, though six miles from the craters, at'Ngae Ngae within one mile, thirtyfeot oj mud is reported and no hopes for the Native eestlements at Ariki and Tapahoro. Mrs Hazzard was rescued but injured. Four of her children are dead. Fourteen Native bodies have been recovered at Wairoa only. The secretary of the post office has received the following telegram :— We have passed a fearful sight here* the earth has been in a continual quake since midnight. At 2.10 a.m. was a heavy quake, then a fearful. roar which made everyone run ont pf their houses, and a arand, yet terrible' sight for those so near as we were/ presented itself. Mount Tarawera, close to Eotomahana, became suddenly an active volcano belching up fire and lava to a great height. The eruption appears t* be extending itßelf to several places southwards. A dense mass of ashes came pouring down here at 4 aim., accompanied by a suffocating smell from the lower regions. This immense black cloud extended in * line from Taheke to Paeroa mountain, one continual mass of . electricity all night, and it. is still the same. Between "the roar of thunder and the roaring of two or three craters, and the stench, -J-md the continual quaking of the earth, the scene was terrible. Judging from the quantity of ashes and dust here, I f oar serious results to the people of Wairoa and all natives round Tarawera lake. The fearful aspect of affairs is just as bad now* (8 a.m.) as it was all last niylit. Hundreds of new boiling springs have broken out all round here, some in the middle of tUu read.