ERUPTION OF TARAWERA.

Bruce Herald, Volume XVII, Issue 1757, 11 June 1886, Page 3

ERUPTION OF TARAWERA.

FEARFUL SOBNE3. LOSS OF LIFE. Telegrams were reoeived from the North yesterday stating that Tarawera was in active eruption. We append a summary of the particulars to hand : — At 8.15 a.m. the following telegram was received from Tauranga by the secretary of the Post Office, Wellington :— " Loud reports and heavy earthquakes began here and continued until 5 a.m. Tauranga Is in darkness, and thick olouds of sulphurous matter, gypsum, etc, in the air. Mounts Tarawera and Rotomahana are reported to have broken out, and eruptions are going on continuously. Postmaster at Rotorna telegraphs that all the people there fled in their night clothes. I have sent my family away and remain at my post, but cannot say how long I can do this." The whole country from Lake Taupo to Tauranga is covered with thick smoke, and it is as dark as midnight. Property of all kinds has been completely destroyed. From Rotorua to Te Ngae the whole road and country is covered with mud 3ft deep. At Waiaroa it is 10ft deep. The houses are buried up to the eaves. The fire and lava belched out from Tarawera ascended to a great height. Hundreds of new boiling springs have broken ont at Rotorua, some in the middle of the road. There was a oontinual quaking of the earth, which accompanied with the roar of thunder and of the active craters, la described as terrible. At 9 o'clook in the morning, Tauranga waß in total darkness, and the town covered with ashes. At 9.18, the following telegram was forwarded from the postmaster at Rotorua to Wellington: — "Buggies have just returned from Te Wairoa. There has been a terrible catastrophe. The Native school-house was struck by lightning, and while burning was overwhelmed with torrents of hot mud, stones, etc Mr Hazard and his family are all dead, excepting the two eldest girls, who were saved by Mr Linden pulling them through a window. Rae's hotel is demolished. One tourist staying there is missing. The servants and also Mr Humphries who have oome in state that the falling mud nearly knocked them down. Myra and Hnmphries (query Mrs Hnmphries) are still out there. The buggies cannot get past Teketapu bush. Several Natives are known to be killed. I think there is no hope for those living at Taheke and Morea. Am going out with relief party to see what can be done. — H. Dunbar Johnston." Reports of the eruption were heard at Blenheim, Wanganui, and other distant places, while flashes of flame were Been at Auckland, 160 miles away, and the vibrations of the earthquake felt throughout the whoie of the island.