Terrible Occurrence near Rotorua.

Manawatu Herald, 1 September 1903, Page 3

Terrible Occurrence near Rotorua.

FOUR PEOPLE KILLED BY A

GEYSER.

A shewing catastrophe is reported from Rotorua. There was an unusually severe eruption of Waimangu geyser on Sunday afternoon, and it resulted in the death of two Miss Nicholls, of North Canterbury, and McNaughton (Ponsonby), and Joe Warbrick, brother of the well known guide. They were looking at an eruption, standing on a bill overlooking the geyser, but went too near in a desire to take snapshots.

The eruption, suddenly became terrific, and the four people named were-swept off the hill by water into the overflow of the geyser, where there is a depth of 12 feet, and were carried downwards in boiling Water for nearly a mile towards Lake Rotomahana. The bodies were recovered some time after, a considerable portion of the clothing being torn off. • Mrs Nicholls had accompanied hex 4 daughters, but escaped. A man who wasin close promixity succeeded in resisting the force of the water. ADVICE RECEIVED BY THE TOURIST DEPARTMENT.

The details of this terrible affair received by the head of the Tourist Department states that the Misses Nichollswent out on a photographing expedition, and were in the act of taking photographs when the geyser seemed to shoot' right at them. Both ladies, Mr MoNaughtou, Warbrick and two other men (whose , names are not given) were stationed on the hill between the first sheltershed and the bridge over the Black river. Joe Warbrick was sitting on a hamper. When the eruption occurred two of the men accompanying the party clung to a rock. The others were seized in the rush of boiling, seething mud, and washed down the stream. One of the bodies was recovered a mile lower. Alf Warbrick (Government guide) had warned the visitors not to go within the danger line. A second message said “ Government guide has not yet returned. The two men who escaped the fate of their friends' are seriously injured.”