DESCRIPTION OF MOUNT TARAWERA AND THE VOLCANIC DISTRICT.

Auckland Star, Volume XVII, Issue 135, 11 June 1886, Page 2

DESCRIPTION OF MOUNT TARAWERA AND THE VOLCANIC DISTRICT.

MAJOR.MAIR INTERVIEWED.

[fhom ouk special kefortek.]

Wellington, last night.

Jlujor Mair, who knows every inch of the district, has courteously given me the following particulars :—Mount Tarawera, which lies north and south, is an old volcano with two oraters. 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 many thousands of skeletons were to be seen in this lofty burial place, like the celebrated Towere of Silence used by the Parsees of Bombay. Very few j Europeans have been able to overcome the tapu, 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 Lake Rotomahana. 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 their lives, »nd where the hotel has been destroyed, lies from ten to twelve miles awuy from Tarawera. It is the head-quar-ters of the Takomangi, of 250 souls. There are a number of good European and native houses, two hotels, three stores, a public hall, and one church. Wairoa lies between Lake Rotakahere and Tarawera, about 200 feet above the latter on the banks of the Wairoa stream which connects the lakes. Two years ago the Rototatahi lake, whose water is always cold, and which is three miles long, rose suddenly to nearly boiling heat, during which transaction a very strong outflow took place into Lake Tarawera, down the Wairoa Valley, the strong disturbance lasting a day. Since then all has been quiet, Wairoa being ten miles from the Rotorua and Rotomahana being but two, it is evident that the famous pink and -white terraces are in imminent danger, Wairoa is the p: cc where the coaches transfer passengc.:; to boats for Rotomahana. THJEHAZAF~ FAMILY. Mr Hazard came t' the colony in 1562 in the ship Hanover, being one of the Nonconformist settlers. He worked for some time on the "Daily Southern Cross " newspaper as a printer, and for many years has been teaching the natives at Wairoa. DISTANCES. Ihe Tarawera volcano is distant from Tauranga 55 miles, from Gisborne 220, Taupo 50, Opotiki 60, White Island (Wlmkari) 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 becnj unable to effect a landing, and the place is all covered with clouds of red volcanic dust. THE VOLCANIC DISTRICT. Tarawera 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 west, and 210 miles broad. The two extreme points i

have always bemv-^* 55***^" from the crated S^tS at Taupo, and the ri«i heard at Taur&^Ji|&l< F0818R,., "^ Tl»o«lyl«. oll ,f I*'u tt. sibly be more than five <^t being about the time Z T^^ft twn of the islands s?? (w* those of the Manuka, aJt^^ of Taupo he aseribea tobfa,** «*X£