TARAWERA ERUPTION

Evening Star, Issue 22365, 15 June 1936, Page 8

TARAWERA ERUPTION

MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR 150 VICTIMS INTERESTING CEREMONY [Pr.it United Press Association’.] KOTOR FA, -Line 15. An in foresting ceremony took place at To AVairoa, overlooking Lake Tarawera, on Sunday, when the Bishop ot Aotcaroa, the Right Rev. F. A. Bennett, conducted a commemoration service for the 150 .Maoris and Europeans who perished in the Tara wera eruption on the flight of Juno 10, ISBG. The service was held in a small bush clearing on the site of the old church, which was one of a number of buildings demolished by the eruption. Among the congregation were a number of elderly Alaoris who were living at To AVairoa at the time of the eruption as young men and women, but who subsequently removed with their tribe, the Tuhourangi, to AVhakarewarewa when their lands were laid waste by volcanic ash and mud. The old bell which was sounded before the service was recently recovered from the ruins of the old church by Air Cecil Way, a grandson of the Rev. S. Af. Spencer, who commenced work among the Alaoris at Te AVairoa nearly 100 years ago. At the conclusion of the ceremony Air Way entrusted the bell to the care of Bisiiop Bennett, who at a subsequent meeting of the Tuhourangi tribe discussed plans for erecting a suitable memorial on the site of the church. This will probably take the form of a suitably carved canopy, under which the old church bell will be hung. A 175 years old wakahnia, or carved Maori casket, which survived the eruption was used to take up the collection, which will form the nucleus ot the fund for the erection of the memorial.