THE VOLCANIC ERUPTION.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XX, Issue 142, 16 June 1886, Page 2

THE VOLCANIC ERUPTION.

[Pitrcss Association, | Wellington, June 15. lhe Hon Mr Larnach received the following messago from Dr Hector this afternoon : Captain Mr.ir sends mo tho following :— I W.u no a, We have just got back (9 p.m.) after a fearful climb up the hill. We found Mourea covered only three feet with the sofest ooze which had run down from the heights above, and swept the sediment and all the huts into deep water. Not a blade of raupo is to be seen floating on the lake. We then went on to Te Ariki, and found the bay there filled right out to the point on the right hand side, leaving only a slight curve. The place once oocupied by tha natives is covered about 20 feet with white duat, which has been shot out of a huge rent in the south end of Tarawera mountain, which is still active. On the top of the fine duat, which is too hot to bear the feet on in places, lie two ieet of wet mud apparently quite recent, over which it is quite impossible to walk. Itotowaikauri is full of large active steamers, the largest eeems to be about the size of the White Terrace, and is throwing up enormous clouds of grit and dark dust. We found a party of nine natives from Matata, and the poor chops had been floundering about in the dry aslies for two days looking for their lost relatives. We took them to near Tapahoro, and gave them a good lot of tucker. We have been tho means of saving them from a miserable night under Mount Tarawera. Continuous land and mud slips and avalanches of rocks keep tumbling into the Lako at dozens of places, making an awful roar. The Lake still pulsates a good deal, and is very high. All the points or promontories of rock are knocked about, and. huge masses are overturned. Our chaps could hardly get to the top of the cliff, and on our return we were all pretty well pumped out. GisnoßNE, June 15. News from the East Coast states that the districts beyond Tologa Bay are now more or less affected by the eruption. Waiapu, Rotorautakua, Waiomatatiri, Waiparo, and other places are covered with sand to depth a varying from three quarters of an inch to eight inches. In many of the districts the cattle and sheep are dying for the want of food, not a vestige of which is to be found. A number of birds are also lying about dead. Mobs of sheep, cattle, and horses are wandering about in a bewildered condition. The settlers are feeding the 6tock on what hard food they have get, but this must shortly run out. On Colonel Whitmore's run the sheep are wandering about for food. Large stretches of country are completely devastated. The damage done must ba serious. Rotorua, Tuesday Night. The natives are coming in daily to hold a tangi over the loss of the Tuohorangi people. The survivors of this tribe will probably receive Government .aid until the crops come in. Blankets and clothing are being sent from Auckland for the survivors from Wairoa. The contractor for the liotorua waterworks reports that there appears to be a larger volume of water in the Puanua stream than formerly, and as no rain has been experienced he is unable to account for tho phenomenon. With the exception of six men all have cleared out from the works since the eruption. ACCOUNTING FOR THE ERUPTION. The Ngatipikos have a Tongaruo, or priest, who came up to Taheka the day before the eruption. He made the remark to natives, it may have been by way of banter, that so many lies had been tolrt at the Taheka Land Court that it was likely an earthquake would swallow them up. CAPTAIN HAIR'S REPORT. Captain Mair reports that at the Moura Village, where 45 Maoris are buried, the mud, in a liquid state, is flowing into the Lake with such rapidity that the whole site of the Village has been shot bodily into the Lake. They floundered through, but finding no signs of life proceeded on to Ariki. They reached there in the afternoon. The whole front of Tarawera on this side has been changed by the earthquakes. The south of the mountain is blown clean off making an indentation like knocking in the front of a felt hat. This nas iormea a, vi a b or wT,4nh is still astir. Immediately behind Arihiki is a very large steam hole near the White Terrace in violent action, and from it are springing immense clouds of black steam laden with dust. At Ariki there are forty natives covered 30 feet deep. The party had some difficulty in returning to Wairoa, where they arrived very exhausted. At Terehi four Taupo natives on a visit perished. Captain Mair says it is evident that the first outbreak was at the south end of Tarawera. The whole country looks like a large bush clearing, except that it is covered with grey ash instead of black. The volcanic action, so far as Tarawera is concerned, appears to be rapidly exhausting itself, but at Rotomahana Captain Mair says the crater show every indication of being permanent, and will have in future to bo the attraction of tourists instead of the Terraces. At dusk there could be seen from the top of the Pukeroa Reserve white clouds from the Hot Springs or geys .SB at the south-east end of Paeroa, and it is believed the thermal springs there have become more active. Since dusk Tarawera has been more quiet, but Rotomahana is more active, and belching steam clouds thousands. of feet in the air. NARROW ESCAPE OF A SKETCHEfi. Ono party who went in. close proximity to the Rotomahana crater had a narrowescape. One of them, Mr Bloomfield, had started to sketch when he was called back, and had only retired 30 yards when the whole place where he had been slipped into the crater. The photographer with Dr Hector has succeeded in getting views of the whole scene of the volcanic eruption.