VOLCANIC ERUPTIONS.

Feilding Star, Volume VIII, Issue 3, 19 June 1886, Page 2

VOLCANIC ERUPTIONS.

VOLCANIC ERUPTIONS EX-

TENDING.

NATIVES CLEARING OUT OF

ORAKOKORAKO.

CONTINUANCE OF EARTH-

QUAKES

[PER UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION.] Willington. June 17.

The party which started to-day for Rotorua in the early morning returned at 7 o'clock. They rode 32 miles and walked 12. The party consisted of Messrs G. M. Reed, Hean (National Bank), Duthie (manager of the Tauranga branch of the National Bank), Mcßae, and Humphries. They rode till they reached the belt of mud and tethered their horses, and profiting by the experience of the boat party, took off their boots and clothing, save drawers and singlets, and entered a mud glacier three miles, lonfg. ; To their surprise they came on a belt of cinder ashes, and Mcßae tore: up his .singlet to make sandals for their feet. They [ got to the back of : the Pink terrace, after travelling . over dangerous ground, fissures opening in the earth, and steam coming out in various directions. They confirm the statements, already, telegraphed as to changes in the country,. h The terraces, are (gone. There is a new: geyser at Rotomahana, throwing up stones^ situated at the extreme southern end? from the point where the White terrace stood. All along the range, to the 'Devil's Cauldron is clean blown out of existence, and at, the back of the Porridge Pots, Did Time Geyser, Devils Cauldron, and White terrace, is a steep precipitous cliff, the surface material of which is blown away, exposing the inner rock face of the mountain. The scene at their feet, viewed from the . . back . of . the Pink terrace, was indescribable. They could hay« thrown a stone into the crater. Ai the mud lifted the smoke they could see the bottom of the lake seething and spouting boiling mud in all directions. * From near Okara to Tarawera the whole valley was simply rent in two vast clefts, being in the form of this letter 8. From the base of Tarawera proper to the summit they saw a similar cleft, and various minor spurs adjoining presented the appearance of being rent in two, and standing agape like the leaves, of a book. In returning to> the front where their horses were tetherqd, they noticed that the' fissures they had passed in the morning had considerably widened, and fresh ones had formed at one point as the steam had formed behind them. The volcanoes on the Tarawera ranges did not show much activity all day; and at night were quiet, and look as if exhausting themselves and settling down, simply steaming. Tonight the volcanoes to the south of Rotomahana are showing no smoke over tha range, and are seemingly dying down. The only volcano throwing up steam clouds, and that but moderately, as at the terrace.

Of the Tuhourangi natives at Ariki who have providentially escaped the fate of their fellows are MehakaTahekae and his wife. On the evening before the eruption their child met with an accident, and they came on to Dr Ginders at Rotorua hospital to see to its injuries, thus saving the litres, of the three.

The Assistant Surveyor - General's party, on the expedition to receive the Maori woman from Waitangi, took axes and shovels to dig out the Maoris entombed beyond the Mou, but could not reach the huts, Which were on an eminence. The woman, who is now recovering, and old Rawiri, were brought in to-day by Constable Cavanagh for the hospital, but the natives preferred to take them. The Whakarewarewa Maoris' are very lhary of touching the woman, believing that as she existed for a week without food or water she must be a wizard. . -, " „ June 17, 9.45 p.m. . Mr E. C. dansland, of Eotoiti, reports that three shocks of earthquake took place last night, the first at midnight—the heaviest yet; experienced. Telephone communication has beeir established between Botorua and Rotoiti. .. :• .;' .■:'', „:! -£..'! ■:-u>

Intelligence has just been received from Orakokorako of geysers becoming more active and new ones springing up in the immediate vicinity. The natives I are clearing out. It was ajl along anti- ! [ cipatedthat the volcanic eruption would | extend in that direction, as it is in the line of the volcanic system and the same class of country, and presenting similar features to that around Rotomahana Lake. 9.50 p.m.— A sharp shock of earthquake has just been experienced. A^ckla^d, June 18, In Puarenga Gorge, at the .head water race' of the Rotorua water works, a boiling spring started t#- day in the river underneath a large block of rock on the eastern side of the .river. ■ ■ " .'.''"'''■'''■'. '.',' ' Mr Malfroy, Inspecting Engineer, has just returned from a visit to the works. He informs, me that there is a spring boiling with considerable violence. The water in the river is slightly discoloured and whitish.