TO-DAY THE SEVENTEENTH ANNIVERSARY.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLVI, Issue 808, 10 June 1903, Page 4

TO-DAY THE SEVENTEENTH ANNIVERSARY.

INTERVIEW WITH ONE OF THE

SURVIVORS.

On the 10th of June seventeen years ago occurred the eruption of Tarawera, which was responsible for the loss of over 100 lives, and. the power of which was severely felt many, many miles from the actual scene of the great volcanic upheaval. At the time, the occurrence naturally created widespread consternation, and the timid in parts of the colony far distant from Tarawera suddenly remembering that the mighty forces- of Nature were beyond the control of man, and that the ways of Providence are ever mysterious, awaited in fear any emergency. There was, however, as events transpired, no need for their alarm ; the mighty volcanic force found sufficient vent in the thermal regions, to the great destruction of life and property, and irreparable loss in the shape of the beautiful Pink, and White Terraces. For days the news from the scene of the disaster was meagre, but it was all too soon known that the calamity was one of magnitude sufficient to make it historical, and that the experiences of those who had come through tho ordeal alive were enough to shake the nerves of the? strongest, and shatter those ot the more weakly constituted. The story has been told, but it will stand re-telling, especially after this lapse of time, and to tho younger generation especially, the experiences of one of the survivors should prove particularly interesting 1 . Learning that Mr G. F. Baker, who was at Mcßae's Rotomahana Hotel on the morning of the fateful tenth, is in Hawera at the present time, a representative of this paper interviewed him, and got from him much interesting information, concerning the eruption, from the effects of which he, with the other survivors, had such a narrow escape. Mr Baker, by the way, was in Hawera 32 years ago, when fern was the chief characteristic of the place, and the only building of note — if not the only one here — was the blockhouse. He was one of the party which, taking the telegraph line to New Plymouth, was stopped hy the natives at Opunake. Later he was o&e of a party engaged in survey work on the Plains. But to return to our story. TWO DAYS BEFORE THE ERUP-

T3ON Lake Tarawera rose three feet, and canoes whirh came to the landing place were carried 400 yards or more beyond the usual point. Sophia, the guide, predicted that this phenomenon presaged some disaster, but no notice was taken of her forebodings. As stated, Mr Baker was at Mcßae's Rotomahana Hotel, Te Wairoa, oii the eventful 10th of June. All in the hostelry were, he says, awakened between 12 and 12.30 a.m. by heavy shocks of earthquake, which continued, with slight intervals, until about- 2 a.m., in Ihe meantime the noises being alarming ii* the extreme. The timbers of the house creaked, crockery was smashed, and the wires in a pendulum clock in Mr Baker's room tinkled continuously. The wind was very heavy at the time. Somewhere about the hour of 2 in the morning there was the noise of

A TERRIFIC EXPLOSION, and the inmates of the hotel got up, dressed, and went outside. All that could be seen was a mass of flame (backed by a black pall of cloud), Which was evidently some miles distant, in the direction of Tarawera. To elucidate matters, tho alarmed party (consisting of two girls, Mr McRae, Mr Baker, Mr Falloon, and Mr Bainbridge) proceeded to Mission Hill, the site of an old church built by Dr. Spencer, and which was directly opposite the mountain, and half-a-milo nearer to it than was the hotel. From this vantage point an awesome spectacle was soen^ awesome, yet sublime in its tremendous grandeur. The) whole of the mountain appeared to be a mass of burnished gold, the lake at its foot reflected the glittering glory, and at intervals

VIVID FIRE BALLS were thrown high into the heavens, to fall into the depths of the once placid lake, now turbulent, in keeping with the general temper of Nature at this particularly weird juncture. Tho spectacle must have indeed been magnilicent, though to the forlorn party on the hill much of its beauty was natur.ally lost, for a man with nerves unstrung, not knowing the moment he might be the victim of tho cause of the subJimu display, had not too keen, an eye for the beautiful and the majestic. The vividness of the pyrotechnics was helped by the dark pall of clouds, which served as a background, and the terror of the night was accentuated by the force of the wind, the roaring of the mountain, and the uncanny trembling of the earth. When on the hill, the party had to grasp each, other for I support. After remaining there for about a quarter of an hour — in such emergencies one cannot speak, with exactitude as to time— it became FRIGHTFULLY COLD AND DARK, with, as the little baixd thought, rain, but which subsequently they discovered to be mud. The party returned to the hotel (en route the darkness was impenetrable), and there found assembled most of the native inhabitants of the village, and ten Europeans. Now it was that thoso returned from Mission Hill found that what they had there mistaken for rain was liquid mud, of slate colour, which, by this time had become quite hard. Tho funereal blackness continued to be fitfully illumined by fire-balls rising, and falling in all directions, and the wind, which had been blowing a half-gale, took to itself wings. Unnerved, the sorely-tried, villagers now had added to their discomforts that of cold, and Mr Baker, taking with him, two native boys, went into the hotel kitchen, in order to make coffee.

A PHENOMENON.

A good fire was soon merrily burniiig in the stove, but— let scientists endeavour to explain it — no heat could be imparted to the water. Case after case of light, inflammable material was ." used, but without The Maori boys were the first to discover tho phenomenon, and Mr Baker called Mr Mcßae, who; on arrival, remarked, after a suggestion had been made, ' " I'm not a fool to put my hand on the stove." Mr Bakes assured.' him >hat he might safely do so, and by way. of proof inserted his own fingers in the water on the stove.. There was no coffee that morning. _ Whether Providence deemed it unnecessary to have artificial heating when there" was so much of -Nature's - ■ going) ' to > waste we know not, but Mr Baker assures us that, try, as he > never triqd, before to^ boil water) he failed on the occasion, under notice. But ihis was ' I

A TIME OF STRANGE ,THING§, and it was now discovered ihat the roof of the. kitchen was caving, in with the weight of the mud that had been liberally cast upon it by the volcano.

It groaned eerily, and while it was doing so, Baker and the boys escaped into the dining-room/ the windows of which hadi been all demolished. Then with a crash the roof of the kitchen came through. This was about an hour after the return of the affrighted reconnoitreing party from Mission Hill. It is almost superfluous to say that the building was not tco substantially built, and in such a time things architectural need to be of the stoutest. The dinii/g-room was by now too open to the rigours of the elements, and a retreat was beaten, this time to the drawing-room. No sooner were they there than the refugees heard another crash. The roof of the bar had come through uninvited, carrying with it SHOWERS OF STONE AND LAYERS

OF MUD. At this stage despair had seized all but the few daring spirits, and Mr Bainbridge, a tourist and a line young fellow, who was a member of the Young Men's Christian Association, asked those present to engage in prayer. While poor Bainbxidge was reading from the Bible there came a violent earth shake, which caused' great consternation. The Bible was closed, and all rushed into another room. Then there was a long lull, which was not by any means comfort[ing, because of the unnatural condition of things, and the fear that the calm but prepared the way for a storm. SUDDENLY FLAMES APPEARED at a short distance — some 200 yards — from the hotel, and the watching crowd could only make surmises as to what it meant. Later they discovered that the sdaoojhouse had been burned, and four lives lost — those of the master (Mr Hazard) and his three children. Now happened a thilig that ended in the death of Mr Bainbridge. With Baker ho went on to a bjalcony outside the drawing room-, in order to, if possible, locate the scene of the lire. Two or three feet of mud had by now fallen, and the drawing inborn was the only apartment in the hotel considered to be safe. Immediately after the pair had reached the balciony a

TREMENDOUS ROAR came from the direction oi the lake, followed by a hdeuvy shock. Mr Baker* dropped back into the drawing room, to see the paper peeJed off the walls and the carpet on the floor rise up and down sinuously, but Bainbridge had not time to do so. The girls employed at the hotel said to Mr McRae, " If we have got to die, leb'p get outside to die." Mcßae then said to Mr Humphries, of the Temperance Hotel, " Take care of your wife, I will of the girls, and (turning to the men) boys, take care of yourselves." But on endeavoring- to get out the pairty found themselves blocked in, the verandah ' having given way. However, by dint of some exertion, they forced tflieir way through the debris, Humphries helping his wife and Mcßae the girls. Baker and another (Falloon) followed, and two men were left behind, but they got through later. The escapees had rugs (they (needed them), but the darkness was so intense that one could almost feel it, and they knew not which way to turn. After a hurried consultation, it was. decided to try aJnd; reach the Maori carving house, the. .strongest building in the township. Mr Baker first set out for the goal by himself. He knew the way well, and scumbled .arfong slowly, taking advantage of every flash of lightning to steer in the direction of two blue gums on the road to the house. When he reached these trees, he stood witjb his back to them, but for how long he does not know. The position was uniftUoly lonely and dangerous, and time, no doubt, dragged heavily. Mud and stones were falling still ; the supply seemed inexhaustible. Presently, in the light of an electric Hash, he saw Mcßae close to him. The tension on the minds of tihe men was so great that both SHOUTED AT THE TOP OF THEIR

VOICES

when t3iey became aware of each other's- presence. Mcßae suddenly seized Baker's arm, and pointed to a light in the distance, which they decided was at the whare of Sophia, the Maori guide. They &t once set out for that possible haven, Mr Baker suggesting caution in their movements, on account of a post and rail feaice which was in the vicinity, but was met with the reply from Mr McRae, "The posts and, rails are covered ; over four feet of mud has fallen now." The pair eventually reached the whare, and found that the Maoris, more sensible than their European friends, had taken the precaution to prop up with three strong supports the rojof of the whare. Mr Mcßae now made anxious enquiries as to whether anyone was left in the s l^otel, a^nfd on being told that two meto — Mennett and Sniggs— had not emerged with the others, announced his intention of goilng back. Efforts to dissuade him wore unavailing, and he left, returning later with the two men. . Heads wore now counted, and it was found

THREE WERE MISSINGtr-

Mr Humphries, his wife, and Mr Bainbridge. Mcßae at once set 6ut for the carving house, and there found Mr and Mrs Humphries, all right. He then wanted to go in search of Bairibridge, but the girls prevented him frtoin doing so. Those assembled stayed in the whave until 11 o'clock next morning, as until that hour it was too dark for safo perambulation. By tlhis time the earth tremors had ceased, and the mud hardened. The party went to the ruins of the hotel, and got out tinned meat anid bre»a)rl, which viands were served out to all — Maoris included. The latter were later advised tio clear out. All that could be seen now in the direction of the volcano was A BLUE LIGHT ON THE MOUN-

TAIN SIDE.

It was found that the Tikitapu bush ihad been destroyed, and that heavy blinding dust was falling. A visit was made to the schoolhouse, nfcar which a - surveyor and his assistant were fouWd, also the two Misses Hazard (daughters of the schoolmaster), who had sought shelter in a" fowlhouse during the terrible exfperience of the night. Mr Mcßae gave orders to the bulk of those present to leave for a place of safety', and he remained behind with the two Messrs Bird, his broHhers-in-law, to dig 'for Mr and Mrs Hazard and children. A few Maoris also stayed to assist. Mrs Hazard, with a dead infant on her knee, wjals

DUG OUT ALIVE, . and the dead bodies of Mr Hazard and two other children were got out. Mr Baker aiad- the others with him got safely through the Tikitapu bush, where thoy met a coa'cfh coming up. The two girls and Balloon arid Men.nett went to Rotorua in the coach. By another coach the others,' with the exception of Baker, left ;" he remained behind with the foo»d the natives . had carried out, ai^d distributed ,Jt to those who needed it. •Later* he walked t to, Rotorua, from which ' place a relief party went out and' brought 'in Mrs Hazard. The bodies were brought in "on the following Friday. Mcßae went in amd out each day. On therFriday THE BODY OF BAINBRIDGE. : ., ..was found by -Mr Moss, , a Tauranga 'lawyer, who. ( noticed ' something glittering, which' proved -to be a r^ng worn by the unfortunate youngi man. The body was riot even bruised. Had Baker not jumped back from the balcony when "ho stolod there with Bainbridge, he would have met the. latter's fate. Out , of 22 whites at Te Wairoa, ste _jnrere killed. Oven 100 natives lost their lives round aftout Tarawera. Had it not been: that the wind was "from the north-east, Mr

Baker opines that Tlot»i*ua would! not have escaped so easily as it rlirl. Ho went back to Wairoa seven months later, but things had changed somewhat. His nerves, he says, have never been the same since, and for months ha would, start violently if touched or a<vosted suddenly. It was an experience sufficient to shake the nerves of the stoutest j Mr Baker says he has no desire for a similar one.