RABAUL NOW LOOKS ALMOST NORMAL

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 300, 15 September 1937, Page 6

RABAUL NOW LOOKS ALMOST NORMAL

Removing Traces of Eruption

Dominion Special Service. Auckland, September 14,

The transformation that has been worked in Rabaul since it was rendered desolate and almost uninhabitable by the severe volcanic eruption on May 30 was described by Mr. T. B. Booth, Hamilton, when he returned by the Maetsuyeker from an extended tour of the East. Mr. Booth saw the town shortly after the disturbance took place and again a few weeks ago on the voyage south to New’ Zealand. “Rabaul is now looking almost normal,” Mr. Booth said. “Where, on the journey north, thick layers of pumice were being shovelled from roofs, trees and pavements, on my return the place had been cleaned up, green foliage was again to be seen, the population had returned, and business had been restored. The only major indication of the disturbance to be seen was a quantity of pumice still floating in the harbour.” '

Another passenger, Father O. Meyer, who is a Roman Catholic missionary on a small island 10 miles from Rabaul, said a Dutch scientist. Professor de Stehner, was making a study of the eruption to determine whether the place was suitable for habitation and whether it might not be desirable to remove the administrative centre to another locality.