The Tarawera Disaster.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XII, Issue 1737, 18 June 1886, Page 3

The Tarawera Disaster.

9 ■ A SUCCESSFUL EXPLORING PARTY.

(DNITBD PBESB ASSOCIATION.) Wellington, Thursday. The party which started today for Rotorua m the early morning returned at 7 o'clock. They rode till they reached the belt of rand and tethered their horses. To their surprise they came on a belt of cinder ashe?, and Mcßae tore up hie shirt te make sandals for tbeir feet. They got to the back of the Pink Terrace, after travelling over dangerous ground. They' confirm the statements already telegraphed as to changes m the country. The Terraces are gone. There is a new geyser at Rotomahana, throwing up stones, situate 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. The scene at their feet, viewed from the back of the Pink Terrace, was indescribable. They could have thrown a stone into the crater. As the mud lifted the smoke they could see the bottom of the lake seething and ttpoutin? boiling nitid m all directions. From near. Okaro to Tarawera the wholn valley was simply rent, m two vast clefts, being m the form of the letter S. In returning to the front where their horses were tethered they noticed s that the fissures they had passed m the morning had considerably widened,' and fresh ones had formed at one point as the ateau 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 exhaust* ing themselves and settling down, simply steaming. To-night the volcanoes to lhe south of Rotomahana are showing no smoke over the range, and are seemingly dying down. The only volcanoe throwing up steam clouds, and that but moderately, is at the Terrace. The assistant survey-general's party on the expedition to receive tho 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 m to-day by (Jonstable Cavanatrh for .the j hospital, but the natives preferred tottake them. The Wha^arewarewsf Maoris /are very chary of touching the woman; believing that as she existed for a week without food or water 'she must be a wizard .< T Mf F. 0.-Clansland,,ofßotojt|, reports that three shocks of earthquake took place last night, the first at midnight, the heaviest yet experiencedi Telephone^ , communication has been established) _be_r * tween Rotorua and. Rotoiti. : '".■ 'v ; ■ Intelligence has just been received from Orakokorako of geysers becoming more active and hew ones '- springing up m the immediate vicinity. The natives ,are clearing out. It was all along anticipated that the volcanic eruption would extend m that direction, as it is m the line of the volcanic system and the sume class of country, and; presenting similar features to that around Rotomahana Lake. > - A shatp Bhock of earthquake has ju£t been experienced.