LATEST NEWS.

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

LATEST NEWS.

MIRACULOUS ESCAPE OF MRS 11ASZARD. DIGGING OUT THE BODIES. STRUCK BY A FIRE-BALL. THE WHOLE COUNTRY RUINED. Rotorua, June 10. 5.30 p.m. Just returned from Wairoa. Brought in Mrs Haszard, who had a miraculous •'scape. A faluig beam rested on the cheffioner and she was dug out from undor it by Mr Mcßae. Mr Blyth was c unparatively uninjured Two children beside her are dead. Mr Haszard and the Oilier children have not yet been dug out, It is proposed to put men on to-morrow to dig out the bodies and clear the fallen trees on the Tikitapu Road, to enable vehicles to piss. We had to carry Mrs Hazard oa a stretcher about live miles as a buggy could not get through. About a dozen are supposed to have been killed. Will forward full particulars to-morrow. A tourist was staying there, name not yet ascertained Mcliac got him out but lost sight of him in the darkness, supposed to have been struck by a fire ball andcovcred with mud. All the survivors unite in according the highest praise to Mr Mcßae who did his hestto workafter all hands bad left. I found him working with Constable Maroney and Mr Blyth, and hula great difficulty in persuading him to leave tile place. Everything at Wairoa is ruined. The whole surface of the country is changed and covered with mad about five feet deep, as also the surrounding country for miles,varying in depth according to distance. To Ngae farm lias two or three feet deep of ashes or dry mud and the whole district is of a greyish white color. A fortunate shift of wind which blew with liumeaue force saved the township of Rotorua aud the western portion of the district from all hut a slight sprinkling. I propose to engage Mr Blyth, and the Government road surveyor, who had just come in from Galatea and is one of tiie survivors, to take charge of the working parties. The eruption appears to have spent its force, but dense volumes of smoke aiid steam are issuing and enveloping the whole eastern horizon and an awful gloom has prevailed all day. Mr Roehe, railway surveyor, says he counted 28 distinct shocks of earthquake this morning, besides continuous vibrations. It has been a terribly anxious time here and large numbers have left, but numbers are now returning. DESTRUCTION OF THE TERRACES FEARED. THE SCENE OF THE ERUPTION. EARTHQUAKES AT TAURANGA. FLASHES OF FIRE. A PITCH DARK MORNING, Wellington, June 10. Mr Percy Smith, of Auckland, lias been instructed to proooed to the scene of the eruption, to observe the phenomena. The Hinemoa leaves to-night for Tauranga, taking Dr Hector and Mr J. 11. Pope, Government Inspector of Native Schools, who have been instructed to report to the Government on the nature of the disturbance. Those who arc conversant with the spot are of opinion that the Terraces can hardly have escapod damage, and most probably have totally disappeared. The news of the eruption caused the greatest excitement in town, and the publication of extras was anxiously awaited The officer in charge of the Napier telegraph station wires: “Following lias been received from Rotorua: 'Man arrived from To Ngae reports three poles down about six miles north of here. Says the wholo road and country round is covered with blue mud three feet deep. At Wairoa it i-3 ten feet deep and the ' houses are all buried to the eaves.

The following information regarding the scene of the eruption has been suppled by mombors of Parliament conversant with the district affected: —Tarawera mountain, the scene of the volcanic eruption, tics north and south, rising from the south end of Tarawera lake, two miles from Rotomaliana. It was about 2,800 ft high, with large table tops separated by two extinct craters, the formation of which is beyond the memory of man. Its surface was of bare volcanic rock and contained no vegetation except near the base. For fifteen generations the natives living near the spot have carried their dead to the top where thousands-of skeletons lay exposed —a sort of “Tower of Silence.” The spot was very “Tapu,”and the Maoris have always held that any stranger going th-n\-would bring about a storm. They 'vill probably now attribute the eruption to this cause. Although there are. or were, two craters on the top of the mount, there has been no eruption within the memory of man, and the Maoris had no traditions whatever respecting this mountain, though there were innumerable traditions respecting other eruptions in the north. Mount Tarawera is about ten miles from the settlement of Te Wairoa, a village which lies between Roto Kakahi lake and Tarawera lake, about 200 ft above ths latter and connected by the Wairoa stream. Two years ago Roto Kakahi lake, which is about three miles in length, rose to nearly boiling point. This was considered a most remarkable phenomenon as the lake was always cold before. There was also a very strong outflow down the Wairoa Talley into Tarawera lake lasting for fully twenty four hour?. Sinco then Roto Kakahi has remained in its normal state. It may here be mentioned incidentally that, according to Maori tradition, Tarawera wa3 the home 1 of the last raoa in the North Island. The I Toutrourangi tribe, numbering about 2-30 ] natives, lived at Te Wairoa, which settlement contained a number of substantial wooden dwellings, occupied by Europeans and Maoris. There were in addition two

capital hotels for the convenience of tourists, three stores, a hill, and an Episcopalian church Mr Haszard, who with several of his family, was killed by the eruption, was the schoolmaster. The f tnily was an interesting one, and highly e teemed by Europeans and Natives. There were seven sons and daughters, most of whom have unhappily perished. Mis Haszard and her two grownup daughters took an active interest in the welfare of the Native children and the c induct of the school, which was the nio9t successful Native school in New Zealand. Mr Has* i rd had been occupied as a teacher in the d strict for about 8 years, and was about 50 years of age. From the scene of the eruption to Tauranga as the crow flies is about 55 miles, and to Taupo 50 miles, The distance to Gishourne is 120, and to Opotiki 60 miles. Rotorua is situated ten miles from Wairoa, and about 20 from Tarawera Mount. Te Wairoa is the village where coaches with touris s for the terraces stay. Whakari, or White Island, has recently been noticed to be in violent eruption, and workm-n employed in obtaining sulphur from that island have been unable to work there owing to the great activity of the crat r, and vessels have been unable to effect a landing as stones and debris been hurled thousands of feet in'o the air, while clouds of red volcanic dust have enveloped the islet. Whakari is the northern terminal of the volcanic zone. Tongariro, 150 miles distant, is trie southern terminal, and the width of the zone is about 40 miles. Between the two termini there are innumerable geysers, mud volcanos, and boiling water-holes. Tongariro was remarkably active on the 6th July, 1871, at which time flames were seen issuing' from the crater, and violent explosions were hoard as far as Tauranga. It is worthy of no e that for the last few weeks the hot water at Rotorua has been failing in a manner quite unknown previously. The only eruption in the Hot La<te district which caused loss of life is said to have occurred about 120 years ago, when a portion of the Ohinemutu pah call© l Wurika was submerged ui a part of the lake, which was boiling on that occasion, aud about thirty natives wero scalded to death. It is feared that the pink and white terraces of Rotomahana will be destroyed. The Government have sent instructions to Inspector Goods 1 at the Thames to proceed at. once to the scene of the eruption and investigate matters as closely as possible. The Maori meaning of Tarawera is “ burning peak,’’ Tauranga, June 10. About 7.3 ) a.m. the inhabitants were startled by some sevete shocks of earthquake following each other in quick succession, Tsie south-east sky was brilliantly illuminated with flashes which continued all the morning. Towards 7 o’clock dense clouds Kgan slowly to descend fiom the direction of Rotorua which envelope 1 the town and district. From 8 to 10 it was pitch dirk, alt business being suspended and people finding thtir way about with lauterns. The ground was cove,ed an inch deep by a coating of sulphurous dust with a disagreeable smell. At Utahiki four craters were going ahead. Tekspiu llush is all uprooted, and four feet of mud aud ashes are at Ngae. The latest news from Rotorua reports that the disturb mce is quieter and the inhabitants h tve decided to remain. Buggies and other conveyances were in readiness to brim; them ii-jvay but are not required. Ruawhia and Tarawera hills arc quieter but Okuru is tremendously active.