WHITE ISLAND ERUPTION.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXX, Issue 29, 21 September 1914, Page 6

WHITE ISLAND ERUPTION.

SEARCH PARTY COMMENCES - OPERATIONS.

THEORY OF THE DISASTER.

NAMES OF MISSING MEN. ' XPbr Prebb Association.] Auckland, September 21. In the disastrous thermal eruption which occurred at White Island in the Bay of Plenty, there 'is grave reason for supposing that ten lives have been lost, while it is practically certain that (damage amounting to about £20,000 has been done to the works and plant of the New Zealand Sulphur Company on the island. There is some uncertainty as to the actual date of the disaster, but it would seem to have occurred either on Thursday, September 10th, or Friday, September 11th. According to advices received by the managing director of the Sulphur Company in Auckland, Mr H. Willoughby, Pilot Mokomoko, who is a launch owner, visited the island on Tuesday,- September 8. • i'he party on the island were then well. They had only arrived on the previous day, most of them having left Auckland with the manager on Friday, September 4th. The pilot’s next visit was paid to the island on Tuesday last, September 15th. As Mokomoko did not reach the island until C. 30 p.m., he steamed quite close in, but was unable to land, as be had no dinghy. It was dark, and he noticed no change ashore. He remained off the shore until 11.30 p.m., making frequent signals, to which, however-, he got no response. Then, assuming that the men were on the other side of the island, he returned to Opotiki, where he reported his non-success in attracting attention to the Company’s agents. On Saturday morning he was able to go to the island again. He then found that a large portion of one of the cliffs had fallen away, forming a new hill, beneath which the camp and wharf had been completely buried. He saw no sign of life on the island. Search parties, which visited the island yesterday, state that from appearances it would seem that the large cliff on the northerly side of the island slipped forward towards the sulphur lake, and the debris covered a large sulphur blowhole vent which formerly existed at the base of the cliff. This evidently caused a terrific eruption. Another large blowhole, about 40yds across, has appeared four chains nearer the lake, emitting fierce sulphurous flames. The lake no longer exists. Appearances suggest that the eruption took place in the evening. It seems not improbable that the eruption blow the employees and their quarters over a hill 150 ft high and into the sea on the southeast side of the island, as the side of that cliff is whitened by erupted material. Portion of the manager’s house and the employees’ whares, also part of the manager’s wire stretcher were found by the search party floating in the sea. A pair of heavy truck wheels and a large boulder several tons in weight were found four chains away from where they wore previously situated. It is estimated that quite 40 acres have been affected by ''the upheaval. A police party and other willing helpers cleared away several tons of debris from the site where the men’s quarters stood, but the material is so hot and steaming that work had to be stopped. The police will continue the search for the bodies, if the sea admits of them venturing out. At present, however, there is a big roll on.

The names of the men whom it is feared have been killed are as follows:—A. J. C. McKim (manager), R. Walker, Stephen H. Young, J. Byrne, W. J. Donovan, R. Lamb, H. Williams, A. Anderson, R. Waning, Kelly. The whole of the first seven men named were from Auckland, and ,it is believed that all but Byrne were unmarried. With regard to Anderson, Waning and Kelly, there is some doubt whether they were on the island, but it is thought probable that they were. The 11th man, who had been engaged by the manager in the capacity of cook, is known not to have kept his engagement., All the employees other than the manager, were quarrymen or laborers.