ERUPTION ORDEAL

Evening Post, Volume CXXI, Issue 141, 16 June 1936, Page 11

ERUPTION ORDEAL

A RESCUER'S DIARY

FINDING OF OLD TOHUNGA

"I have failed to find reference in any of the published accounts of the Tarawera disaster of the one man whose name should always be linked therewith. I refer to Mr. Edward Douglas, the first man to penetrate the devastated area from the outside," writes Mr. Frank Eyre, of Okauia, to the "New Zealand Herald." "Being in possession of that gentleman's diary, I think some tribute to his memory should be paid. Douglas, whose discipline came from naval training, was among the dozen people who remained in Rotorua during the early hours of the outbreak. The first glimmer of real light came to Eotorua [at about 7 a.m. on. the morning of ! June 10, when Douglas and E. Robertson set out for Te Wairoa in the hope of succouring some of the stricken people of that village, urging on the two horses which drew their buggy apparently against a wall of ashy darkness.

THROUGH THE DARK. "Though daylight had long since arrived to the outer world the two men were unable to see four fugitives from the Tikitapu bush until they were right upon them. The two would-be rescuers were urged to go back, as the fugitives considered no one had survived at Te Wairoa. Their advice went unheeded. A little further on a number of fleeing Maoris were met with. 'Haeremai, haeremai,' they cried, 'is Rotorua saved?'' The next persons met with were Messrs. Faloona and Stubbs, leading two women along the darkened road; then Messrs. Humphries, Bligh (Blythe?), and Bennett, two of McRae's servant girls, Mrs. Humphries, the two Misses Haszard, and behind them Messrs. Bird and Lundius.

"From these people Douglas and his companion gained the first real infor-* mation concerning the bitter plight of Te Wairoa. Robertson took the ladies back to Rotorua in the ■ conveyance, and Douglas and the menfolk pushed on again towards the stricken village. Soon they met -Mcßae and Bird, who also joined the rescue party. Further on Constable Maloney joined in. A start was made on the site of Haszard's house. The eldest boy was extricated. He moaned in Douglas's arms and asked for a drink. When Mrs. Haszard was reached a movement of her hand told the rescuers that she too was alive, -and it was necessary to remove about three feet of debris beneath which she lay with the bare hands.

TRIBUTE TO MRS. HASZARD. " 'Among those who lived,' Douglas wrote, 'she was the only calm person we met with.' This heroic woman held her balance in the face of death and even worse things. At this part of his narrative Douglas asserts that if rescue efforts had been better organised others must have been saved.

"On the morning of June 12, Douglas, together with Messrs. Warbrick, Black, and Edwards, organised a boat party at Rotorua to search Ariki and other lakeside places. The owner of a boat asked £12 10s, in case his craft did not return, but negotiations fell through when the Government agent would only go to £10! The four men then signed a guarantee for the required.amount, Douglas naively stating that he 'signed Mr. Harrow's name also, as he was not there.' Warbrick gave his own light craft, and both boats arrived at Te Wairoa late that night on a wagon.

"It was while sitting round the fire at Sophia's Whare that they heard from some Natives that Tuhato, 'the priest who caused all the trouble," was buried in his whare. Douglas met with fierce opposition when he suggested that the priest should be unearthed, but was adamant. That night, however, he was attacked in his bunk and so severely handled that he could not go with the boating party next day. "He accompanied Messrs. Vogan, Harrow, and Windbusch to the site of the priest's abode, and reclaimed 'the evil one' after two hours' digging. 'What do you want with me?' Tuhato said. 'Go away, I do not like you.' When they dragged him out he was bewildered. He did not recognise the new world io which he was raised. 'I will not go to Rotorua,' he said. 'My people are here—dead.'

"Douglas was generous in his praise of those who worked at Te Wairoa in the hours following the cataclysm, but to him must go the credit of leaving safety behind in the hope of doing good to at least some of his more unfortunate fellow-creatures who were suffering a sad blow at Nature's hand."