Alarming Phenomena Last Night.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XII, Issue 1730, 10 June 1886, Page 3

Alarming Phenomena Last Night.

The extraordinary sounds heardearly this morning, caused much alarm to many residents. A telegram received from Mrs Snelson by her husband explains the matter. It is as tollowa :— " Mount Tarawera m active/ eruption. Earthquake all night." Tarawera is about 14 miles from Eotqrua where Mrs Snelsbn at present is staying, and about a mile from Rotomahana. By a telegram appearing elsewhere it would seem that the visitation must have been of a very alarming nature, more especialy to those m the vicinity. The sounds were believed by many to be heavy firing on the sea coast, and others thought Foxton was being bombarded by a Russian cruiser, anxious inquiries' being made of persons on the first tiain from the south. As the sounds were, so terrifying even at this distance, what must the effect have been m the immediate locality. We believe that Tarawera was hitherto believed to have been an extinct volcano, but it must have been active enough last night. The phenomenon was the subject of general conversation today, and numbers of people were rouged from their slumbers at the time, and inched outside o see what was" :the matter, though very few agreed as to the exact quarter irom which- the sounds appeared to proceed, some asserting from Wanganui direction, and others equally positively that it was from the sea coast or Foxton way.! The regular succession and violence of the reports had a terrifying effect, and many noticed flashes of light after each. The phenomenon was certainly alarming m a degree quite unpredented m this locality.