TARAWERA ERUPTION.

Manawatu Herald, Volume LI, Issue 4464, 12 June 1930, Page 4

TARAWERA ERUPTION.

FORTY-FOURTH ANNIVERSARY GREAT VOLCANIC UPHEAVAL. TEREIBLE DISASTEM RECALLED. Last Tuesday was the 44th anniversary of the eruption of Mount: Tarowera, near Rotorua, which was ihe greatest volcanic upheaval known in New Zealand history or Maori tradition. One hundred and fifty-three persons, six Europeans and 147 Maoris, perished in the ■throe villages, Wairon, Te Ariki and .Mourn, which were buried by ash and mud thrown out from the raging volcano. The eruption also resulted in the obliteration of one of nature’s supreme masterpieces, the 1 ’ink and White Terraces, on the north shore of Lake Rotomahaua. The terrifying nature of (he phenomena attending the eruption is indicated in a record of what occurred which was written just afterwards by Amy Robinson, a girl of 12, who was living at Awaliou, seven miles from Rotorua and about twenty miles from the scene of the eruption, with her parents, who had charge of a native school. Miss Robinson afterwards married Mr. J. Paterson and is now living at Waikaka. At 1.30 a.m. on June 10, 1880, the inmates of the schoolhouse were awakened by a rumbling noise, louder than thunder, the house being “in a tremble all the time.” The writer says that when they looked out of the door an awful but grand sight met their gaze. There was a very dark cloud in the southern skies, with lightning and five flashing out round and through it. Terror-stricken people, who had hastily abandoned their homes in Ohiuemutu, on the shores of Lake Rotorua, began to arrive, at Waihou between 3 and 4 a.m. "We heard voices on the road, so called out, ‘Who is there V ” runs the account. “They did not answer us, but came on to the gate; so we went out and (here found a gang of men, women and children with nothing hill blankets round them, their faces wearing a, most dreadful frightened look. Upon hearing the roar and seeing Die Hashes of lire they .jumped to the conclusion that they were all going down to the lower region. They jumped out of bed, picked up blankets and made oui here, calling to all the others as they ran along the roiul to get away as soon as they could.”

At seven o’clock there was no sign of approaching daylight etui ‘‘we began to despair of light for a few days. \\' ; e did get a little daylight,'bill it turned dark again, although not f|uite'so dark as before, which was a comfort to ns. Ail sorts of reports came to us and we really did not know what to believe.” The next terrifying phenomenon was a dense eloud of sulphurous steam, mixed up with mud and ashes, which fortunately lasted only about two hours, when the wind changed and drove it in another direction. The volcanic deposit, controlled by the wind, fell over an area of •6120 square miles. The dust eloud swept over Tauranga during the morning, causing darkness. The thunder of the explosions was hoard as far as Christchurch, a distance of -120 miles.

Application was made the other day in Wellington to the Red Cross Unemployment Relief Committee by ■a young man recently arrived from Scotland for the cost of a cablegram to his parents for tinaiieial assistance. It was agreed that this he granted, and the young man has since received employment in the country. A ease of a deserving nature was that of a man 04 years of age who had spent a lifetime experimenting upon the design and preparation of earthenware. In addition to losing everything, his hearing was completely gone and his boots were worn through to the uppers. The committee agreed to have the boots repaired and gave further assistance in the way of clothing.

A ease of five successive generations'occupying the same farm is perhaps unique in the Dominion. Such, however, has happened on Banks Peninsula. In 1840 the late Mr. Donald McKinnon came from Australia with his wife and family, and settled at Island Bay, Wainui, where he engaged in whaling and farming. A daughter married the late Air. Archibald AlcPhnil and succeeded to the farm, which in turn was taken up by her son, Air. Donald AlcPhnil. and later on by the Ini tor’s son, Air. Kenneth AlcPhnil, who has a young family, and thus completes the five generations.