DEATH TOLL OF VOLCANOES

Press, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22112, 7 June 1937, Page 9

DEATH TOLL OF VOLCANOES

251 NATIVES PERISH IN NEW GUINEA VICTIMS OVERWHELMED BY LAVA FUMES EFFECT OF ERUPTIONS AT VULCAN ISLAND (UNITED PEEBB ASSOCIATIOS-COPYEIGnT.) (Received June 6, 9 p.m.) SYDNEY, June 6. Tragic news comes from the Rev. Father George Bogershausen, who is in charge of the Catholic Mission at Rabaul, reporting that 251 natives perished in the volcanic, eruptions in New Guinea last week. The victims were overwhelmed by lava fumes at Tavui and Walaur, in the vicinity of Vulcan Island. The natives belonged to the Gunan Tunan tribe and they consider themselves the "true people." They number about 25,000, and live in the bush and jungle along the New Britain coast. A later report expresses the fear that literally hundreds of natives are dead. These are chiefly women and children, whose decomposing bodies are believed to be covered with a thin layer of pumice dust. Another white man is missing, a wireless operator on the freighter Golden Bear. There is no trace of the man Elsworthy, who is believed to have been lost when attempting to photograph an old crater. The volcanoes are now quiet, ana there is only a wisp of smoke from A." least 80 per cent, of the refugees at Kokopo are reluctant jo return to Rabaul. They contend that a new capital should be established, preferably at Kokopo. The Administrator (Colonel W. R. McNicholl) so far has reached no decision on the question, but he said he was surprised at the smallness of the damage. Rabaul, he said, merely required cleaning up, whicn was being done by natives. The relief ship Malaita arrived to-day with foodstuffs, bedding, and medical comforts.