TERRIBLE VOLCANIC ERUPTION

Marlborough Daily Times, Volume VIII, Issue 1877, 11 June 1886, Page 2

TERRIBLE VOLCANIC ERUPTION

AT TARAWEM. GREAT LOSS OF LIFE. Early yesterday morning a number of inhabitant of Blenheim wero startled out of their sleep by hearing a series of reports which sounded much like distant explosions. Some thought that the noise was the rumbling of thunder, and as there had been a good deal of lightning early on in the night this theory would have seemed the most plausible. Others compare the reports to those produced by striking empty iron tanks. Sergeant White was convinced that the sounds were from a vessel in distress and immediately dispatched mounted Constable Dew to look for the supposed wreck in the dir-ction of the Boul ler Bank. Soon after daybreak all doubts were set at rest by the receipt of intelligence to the effect that Mount Tars.wra had broken out into violent eruption, overwhelming the settlemen’s for some miles around with showers of ashes and mud, destroying property and human life, and blaati lg the whole of the fertile in the neighborhood. A consented story of that night, of internal horrors has yet to be written; but r faint idea of the awful yet grand eight of the pent up volcanic forces bursting their way through tlia resisting crust ,of the earth with lurid flame and terrific noise, may be obtained from the following telegrams, which conlain all the news received up to the time of going to press.

(Per Press Association),

Wellington, June 10. The Secretary of the Post Office has ro- . ceived the following telegram “ We ' have all passed a fearful nisht here. The 1 earth has been in a continual quake since i midnight. At 2 10 a m. there was a fearful quake, and then a fearful roar, which made everyone run out of their houses, , and a graud yet terrible sight for those so near as we were p-esented itself. Mount T-irawera, close to Rotornaham, becmie suddenly an active volcano, belching out fire and lava to a tremendous height. The eruption appears to have extended itself to several places southwards. A dense mass of ashes cams pouring down hero at i 4 a.m., accompanied by a suffocating smell from the lower regions. This immense l,back cloud extended in a lino from Taheke to Paeroa mountain. There was one continual mass of electricity all night, and it is still the same. Be ween the roar of the thunder, roaring of two or thr-e different craters, an l the stench and continual qu king of the earth, several fauilies left their homes iu their night ilresses, with whatever they could seize in the hurry, and made fur Taurauga. Olliers, more lucky, got horses and left for Oxford (Waikato), Judging from the quantity of ashes and dust here I fear serious results to people at Wairoa, and to all the natives round the Tara went Lake. The fearful aspect of affairs is just as bad now (8 a.m.) us it was all t igbt. I have sent my family to Oxford this morning, and if matters don't improve during the day 1 shall follow them for a day or two. ilundre Is of new boiling springs have broken out all round here, some in the middle of the road R. D. Dansey, Postmas’er, Rotorua*” The following telegram was received from Tauraunga by the Secreta-y of the Post Office“ Loud reports and heavy earthquakes began here and continued until 5 a.m. Tauranga is in darkuess, .jttid thick clouds of sulphuric matter, gypsUm etc., are iu the air. Mount Turawera and Uotomahana are reported to have broken out, and eruptious arc going on continually. The Postmaster at Rotorua telegraphs All people have lied in their night clothes. I have sent my family away and retiiHiu at my post. Cannot say how long I can do this.” The Secretary of the Telegraph Department has received the following telegram from Rotorua “ Some surveyors from Wairoa liaTC arrived, and look as though they had passed through a lime" kiln. Wairoa is covered with ten feet of mud and stones aud ashes, though it is six miles as the crow flies from the craters At Ngae, one mi'e away, thirty fee of mud is reported. There are no hopes for the native settlements of Atiki and Tuhahoro.’' Another telegeaiu timed at noon says ;—Mrs Hazard has been rescued,but is injured. Four of her children are dead alongside, The hotels are iu ruins. Two families were luckily away. Fourteen natives’ bodies have been recovered at Wairoa only,” The following telegram has been received by the Under-Secretary of Crown Lands from the Officor in charge at Rotorua “ 8 52 a.m. VVe are in the midst of a terrible convulsion of nature. The extinct volcano cones of Tarawera and Rui Tohia burst into a cavity between one and two o’clock this morning. There was a cons'aut succession of earthquakes until about five o’clock and now there is slight thunder and lightning almost incessant and still continuing, Immense volumes of flames an I smoke proceed from the cojhs and steam from the locality of the White Terrace. Showers of dirt and grit reached here about six o’clock, but a fortunate shift in the wind has since diverted 'hem. It is icdly a grand sight, and resembles Martin’s picture of “ The Last Day.” People aro greatly excited. Many cleared out for Oxford and Tauranga. The Like has risen considerably, and many new springs have burst out. There is a small geysere just below my house. No serious damage has been done here so far. Messengers have gone out to Te Wairoa to try to ascertain the state of matters there. The telegraphist here had no hopes that the lines would,be workable, but I am now informed that lie has now secured oommunica’ion. I think it desirable to let you know the true state of the case to prevent the spread of unduly exaggerated reports. In responsa to a request the Government will send the Iliuemoa to Tauranga this afternoon. Auckland June 10. The Mayor of Auckland has received a telegram from the Mayor of Tauranga, asking for steamers to take off the resi dents. Private telegrams state that Tauranga was in total darkness at 9 this morning, and the town was covered with ashes. The Mayor has replied that he will assist to the best of his ability. The vibrations of the earthquake were felt in Auckland, and fissures were observed. Last night constant explosions were board in Auckland, which were thought to proceed irom the direction of the Manakau, as the sounds were like distress signals. It wes thought that a war vessel had gone ashore on tko Manakau Bar. The Evening Star despatched a special roporter to make enquires, but he discovered no sign of a vessel in distress on the coast. The cause of the explosion was found that during last night a tremendous outburst of volcanio activity occurred in the Rotorua district, surpassing anything hitherto experienced in New Zealand. Violent erruptions took place, - accompanied with load vibrations and 1 explosions, People are fleeing from the district, but know not where to turn, as i the whole country from Lake Taupo to ’ Tauranga is covered with thick smoke, as i

iark as midnight. Maoris aid Europe* are rushing about in great excitemen Property of all kinds has been complete y destroyed. Flashes of fire were plainly visible in Auckland and the suburbs, proving the gigantic nature of the eruptions. Gisbourne, June 10. At 2.30 this morning the inhabitants of Gisbburne were startled out of sleep by a rumbling noise, accompanied by shocks, causing houses to shake and windows to rattle. As there seemed no likelihood of the phenomenon stopping, a nnrnber of people got up and paraded the town in a state of excitement. Attention was drawn in the direction of Rotorua from the west to; west south west, by volumes of fire shooting up in the air out of an umbrellashaped cloud. The sight was magnificent, One of the clouds spread out over the whole sky, and the rumbling continued up to nearly 4 this morning, when a sharp shock of earthquake was followed quickly by a Becond. A 8 there was another (light shock. The town, up to the present, is in nearly utter darkness. The shops are all lit up. There is a distinct smell prevadmg the air, which has had a peculiar effect on many inhabitants It is supposed to be a volcano in the direction of Rotorua. The affair caused great excitement. Birds, this morning, were flying about in a helpless fashion. Up to 2.30 the night was clear but intensely cold. At present it is raining hard.