DESCRIPTION OF MOUNT TARAWERA AND THE VOLCANIC DISTRICT. MAJOR MAIR INTERVIEWED. Wellington, June 11.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 157, 19 June 1886, Page 6

DESCRIPTION OF MOUNT TARAWERA AND THE VOLCANIC DISTRICT. MAJOR MAIR INTERVIEWED. Wellington, June 11.

Major Mair, who knows every inch of the district, hap courteously given me the following particulars : — Mount Tarawera, which lies north and south, is an old volcano with two craters. There is no tradition among the Maoris about the old times of activity. Of this the evidence consists of two craters, which breaking out of their respective places in the top of the mount, have divided it into three pieces. The summit is thus divided into three table tops. Tarawera has always been, and is in the eyes of the Maoris, a most sacred place. For fifteen generations the Maoris around have carried their dead to the summits, where man}' thousands of skeletons were to be seen in thU lofty burial place, liko the celebrated Towers of Silence used by the I'arsees of Bombay. Very few Europeans have been able to overcome the tupu, which keep these burial grounds sacred. The mountain is 2,800 feet high, rising out of the south end of Lake Tarawera, two miles from Lako liotomahana. It is of bare volcanic rock, without a trace of vegetation except in the immediate neighbourhood of the base. According to Maori tradition the mount is the late abode of the North Island. Wairoa, the township where the Hazard family have lost tiieir lives, and wheio the hotel has been destroyed, lies from ten to twelve miles away from Tarawera. It is the head-quar-ters of the Takomancri, o f 250 souls. There ju c a number of good European and native houses, two hotels, three stores, a public hail, and one church. Wairoa lies between L".ko Rotakaheie and Tarawera, about 200 fees above the latter on the banks of tin* Wairoa Etieam which connects the lakes. Twc year? avro the JEtototatahi lake, whose wateria always cold, and which is three miles long, lose suddenly to nearly boiling heat, during which transaction a very strong outiiow took place iuto Lake Tarawera, dow n the Wairoa Valley, the strong distut banco lasting a day. Since then all has been quiet, Wairoa being ten mile? from the Xtotorua and Rotomahana being but two, it is evident that the famous pink and white terraces ai'e in imminent danger. V> airoa is the place where the conches transfer passengers to boats for llotTnid.u"ct.

TEE HAZARD FAMILY. "*' X. ..-.! I came to the colony in 1562 in tin -hhr->i r->r-> r -> li.noxor, being one of the Nonco .tv.uni-t eotilciN He worked for some cinu- on the '* Daily Southern Cross " newspaper as a printer, and for many years has been teaching- the natives at Wairoa.

DISTANCES. The Tarawera volcano is distant from Tauranga 53 miles, from Gishorne 220, Taupo 50, Opotiki 60, White Island (Whakari) about 120. At White Island the crater has been known for some time past to be in violent eruption, the workmen being unable to obtain sulphur. Stones have been hurled up to a height of 1000 feet and trading vessels have been," unable to effect a landing, and the place is all covered with clouds of red volcanic dust.

THE VOLCANIC DISTRICT. Taiawera is situated in a large volcanic district, about 150 miles long (between the extreme points) "White [Island on the east and Mount Tongariro on the we^fc, and 210 miles broad. The two extreme points have always been in more or less active eruption. The last time that Tongariro was in active eruption -vas in 1871, on the 6th of July. On thai, occasion great Samoa issued from the crafcer, the ground trembled at Taupo, and the violent explosions were heard at Tauranga. The last few weeks the hot water supply at Rotomahana has been filling in in a manner quite unknown hitherto.

FORMER FATALITY. The only loss of life which has hitherto occurred in the district took place about 120 years ago, when a portion ot the Ohinemutu village, known as Eruita, became submerged in the hot -water springs. On that occasion about 30 persons are said to have been drowned or strangled to death.

MAORI TRADITION. Captain Mair brought his very interesting and full account to a close with the remark that no Maori tradition can possibly be more than five centuries old, that being about the time of the Maori occupation of the islands. Such traditions as those of the Manukau and the subsidence cf Taupo he ascribes to information derived from European geologists ; in fact, they are not, according to this authority, tradi tions at all, but imperfect versions of the conclusions formed by scientific observances.

EFFECTS OP o^ Eg™* » «. Christchuroh, June 11. A good many persons who happened to be about at an early hour this morning heqg-d some of the explosions, which they weie much puzzled to account for. Nelson, June 11. The reports of the volcanic explosion were heard here this morning, and wer« thought to be from a vessel in distress. Vivid lightning was seen in Cook's btraits. Blenheim, June 11. Loud reports like tiring were heard in Blesheim, Picton, and placeß further Bouth between 3 and 4 this morning. They were Bupposed to be distress signals from a ship in Cloudy Bay. The news of the volcanic eruption has created profound excitement here. The reports were accompanied by reverberations and the rattling of windows.

A Maori Prophesy. Wellington, June 12. The Rotorua eruption excitement is still in existence here. The eruption reminda one of the Maori prophecy last year, that we should have a hot summer and that the hills would emit fire.

News of Samuol Brown's Death Confirmed. „ „ Wellington, Jane 13. Mr Gray, Secretary of the Teleorapb, has received the following from Maketu, dated 2^o p.m. :•— "Mr Gordon, postmaster', VVakatane, has just reported the following: -At 11 a . m.a native, who escaped Irom Ruawhia, on the Whakutano side of Lake Tarawera, states that from where he was he could see the settlement of Te Ariki, between Rotomabana and Wairoa, destroyed, killing^ bamuel Brown and about 40 natives. Another native warned Mr McPherson, of Matata, and George- Creek, of Whakatane, that Lake Tarawera has risen about 30 or 40 feet, and also that it rose before the late eruption. This last information was received by Mr Gordon from Mr Creek at 3 p.m., but I cannot find out if the rising occurred w da , y * Mr Gordon ateo states that the Whakatane settlers intend watching tonight for a flood or other disturbance. °The native who warned Mr Creek left immediately for the other settlements."