GREAT . VOLCANIC ERUPTION AT ROTOMAHANA. DESTRUCTION OF THE TERRACES. WAIROA IN RUINS. FIVE NATIVE SETTLEMENTS DISTROYED Seven Europeans and One Hundred Natives Killed. Mount Tarawera Still Active. SUCCESSIVE EARTHQUAKE SHOCKS. Forty Miles of Country Devastated.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 157, 19 June 1886, Page 1

GREAT . VOLCANIC ERUPTION AT ROTOMAHANA. DESTRUCTION OF THE TERRACES. WAIROA IN RUINS. FIVE NATIVE SETTLEMENTS DISTROYED Seven Europeans and One Hundred Natives Killed. Mount Tarawera Still Active. SUCCESSIVE EARTHQUAKE SHOCKS. Forty Miles of Country Devastated.

Ox tne moinmg of Thutsday, 10th June, New ZjiLiuJ w ,<; sLutled from one end to :he other py tii? alarming intelligence tint a violent volcanic eruption had taken pace >-.t Rotorua in the Hot Lakes district of the North Island. Long bofore the telegraph had flashed the tidings far and wide, places so far apaitas Auckland, Nelson, and Christchurch had been alarmed by hearing during the early morning loud atmospheric concussions such as are produced by heavy discharges of artillery. From Auckland flashes of fire could also be seen on the Southern horizon, and many people who had risen from bed to witness the phenomena, were convinced that a catastrophe of no ordinary kind had occurred. By nine o'clock the news was published in a special edition of the Star, that an outbreak of volcanic energy, unparallelled in the history of New Zealnnd, and recalling the most noted eruptions of Etna and Vesuvius, had taken place. Public excitement was at once raised to the highest pitch, but fortunately through Auckland being cut off from the region of volcanic activity, not the slightest seismic disturbance or other cause for alarm has been experienced here, and as the full facts of the occurrence were communicated from special reporters, tranquility was . speedily restored. The parallel which has occurred to men's minds between the outburst in the Hot Lakes District and the famous eruption of Vesuvius in a.d. 79 is not very accurate, because Vesuvius reigned, in the midst of a region of quietness, and had a record of complete serenity ! extending back to prehistoric tinus, ! whereas our Tarawera stands in the centre of a district which has been for ages in a state of fairly active elemental activity.. In both cases there were, as it turns ou^ premonitory phenomena, could they have been but correctly spelled out beforehand. Earthquakes startled the vine-growers of Mount Vesuvius, but the fright passed away. And we learn, that changes and extia disturbance were recently noticed at Rotomahana, while a tidal wave on L&ke Tarawera, three feet high, washed the boats out of the sheds. But what the indications meant, no one knew, and few probably pondered in a region of boiling springs and mud volcanoes. The belt of activity — which we would fain consider the safety-valve of the North Island — extends from Tongiriro at one, end to White Island at the other, a distance of about 150 miles. At its widest it is 210 miles broad. White Island has undergone considerable -changes from volcanic action during •recent years, and Tongariro was last in eruption during July, 187 1. Steam is reported to be rising from the huge mountain, Ruapehu, which is volcanic in nature, but which was considered yoke extinct The feet, if true, is, to say the least, ominous. The wide zone, then, in the centre of the North Island, Jias ever since the Maoris arrived from Hawaiki been tiae scene of such extraordinary phenomena that since the era of globe-trotting began it has been the resort of visitors from the uttermost parts of the eartfa. Its feme has gradually spread, and quite a library of descriptive letterpress has made thousands acquainted with the Wonderland of the Pacific who could nevei hope to view it with mortal eyes.

The inhabitants of this district have naturally grown accustomed to earthtremors, subterranean rumblings, and the breaking out in fresh places of boiling springs. They gazed daily on the steaming ngawha, and sulphurous odours were perennial. Fearing nothing abnormal, the dwellers at Rotorua retired as usual to their couche^ on the night of Wednesday, June 9th, and though earthshakes more violent than usual disturbed their slumbers from midnight onwards, it was not till between two and three in the morning that they were alarmed. At ten minutes past two a.m. there occurred a most ' violent earthquake, accompanied by a fearful roar, which made the inhabitants think that the calamity — whatever it was — had occurred in their very midst. Panic-snicken, they fled half-dressed from their houses into the cold night. A tenible sight met their ga^e. Away in the direction of Tarawera, mountains of fire seemed to be belching fo;th, the earthquakes and the deafening noise, described as l( roaring," continuing all the time. An immense black cloud hung over the whole, and through it lightning played all night, accompanied by hea\y peals of thundei. Some tourists aver that they gazed on the awful scene with calmness, and regarded the eruptions with the coolness of scientific obseivers ; but with the majority it was far otherwise. Panic had cciz£d them, and their one thought was how to escape fiom the mouth of Sheol, Mich as Rotorua had apparently become. Some actually set out in buggies and on horseback towards OxtOid :,Ad Tauranga. About 4 a.m. I A^hes began to fill, but a shift of wind diverted the dust-cloud and turned it coastwards, where it worked its calamitous will to the full. Daylight docs not seem to have brought much relief to the terrified townsfolk ; things appeared as bad as ever ; and the first telegrams, sent off between eight and nine o'clock, vividly reflect the fear which had taken hold on all. The telegraphist had some thoughts of following his family to Oxford, but summoned his latent courage and decided to stay. As time passed the panic subsided, and it was found that Rotorua itself had not suffered much. Fresh boiling springs had burst forth, but the world-renowned baths had not undergone any change beyond a rise in temperature. What had actually taken place, the full extent of the disturbance and destruction, only became known piecemeal, as search-parties returned with the information they had been able to gather. It appeals clear, then, that the first outbreak began in the peak of Tarawera mountain, known as Ruawhia. Hence proceeded the earthquakes and the rumblings experienced between one and two o'clock. Flames were belched forth, together with red-hot stones, while electric flashes of extraordinary brilliancy played about the huge, black, mushioom-shaped cloud, which hovered high over the mountain. When these teuifying phenomena had taken place for about an hour, ciateis opened in the neighbourhood of Lake Rotomahana, and vomited forth enormous quantities of heavy mud, which, with hardly conceivable rapidity, spread disaster for miles round. Fifteen active volcanoes belching forth stones, have been counted on the site of Rotomahana, and one of the largest occupies the place wheie the Pmk Terrace once was. This is the report of one of our special reporters, who was among the party which has ap- ! proached nearest to the site of Rotomahana. The White Terrace could not be seen for the heavy clouds of smoke and steam in which it was enveloped ; but from the activity around it cannot possibly have escaped destruction. Still, it seems hard to believe that what occupied Nature so many centuries in constructing, should have been ruthlessly annihilated within a single hour. Another fact renders people lingeringly hopeful with regard to the Terraces— the latter have been the central attraction and chief beauty of-the whole Hot Lake region, the loadstone which has drawn the traveller hither from the ends of the earth j and they are loth to believe that «o much grace and beauty has in a moment been crumbled to ashes and dust. Tarawera mountain, the source of the first eruption, stands on the southern edge of the lake of the same name] towering up some 2,000 feet. It was anciently a volcano, as two craters testified, but the Maoris had no traditions or legends as to its ever having been in a state of activity. For five centuries at least, and doubtless much longer, the mountain had been in the same quiet state as it, was until the fatal 1 othof June. With the natives it was very sacred, and few Europeans have been able to break the tajiu, and ascend to

the top. For fifteen generations the Maoris are said to have carried their dead to the summit, wherq thousands of bleaching skeletons were to be seen on this lofty burial place prior to the catastrophe. The explosions caused by the eruption were plainly heard in Auckland. Many persons were roused shortly before three by unusual sounds, which seemed, not like thunder, but the booming of artillery more than any other noise. One gentleman at Mount Eden> not being able to account for the boomings satisfactorily to his own ! mind, dressed himself and ventured forth hi the _ cold ' and darkness to climb the mount On the top he found another obseiver on the same errand as himself. To the southward he distinctly saw flashes in the far distance, and he came to the conclusion that volcanic activity had manifested itself somewhere. When the news became known m Auckland on Thursday morning there was naturally great excitement. What had really happened was only gathered an item at a time, and the first telegrams from Rotoiua were not of a kind to allay apprehension. Not much business was done in Auckland on that day — all were too busy discussing the news. The newspapers were energetically engaged in issuing " extras," and the offices weie thronged with crowds eager for the latest information. Seizing the earliest opportunity, the Sjak despatched two " specials" to the scene of activity, one by way of Tamangj, the other thiough Waikato Both got quickly through without hindrance on the lend, and have been active ever since in telegraphing the latest and most graphic accounts of the whole event to the Star office. Similar, though hardiy equal agitation was felt in the other laige towns of the colony — Wellington, Chiiscchurch, and Dunedin — in each of which it is reported strange, unaccountable sounds were heard during the Wednesday n t ight.

The Government,. though refusing to send Dr. Hutton, of Christchurch, were not slow in despatching the Hineraoa from Wellington with Dr. Hector on boaid, bound for the Hot Lakes. Dr. Hector is Government Geologist, and also Chancellor of the University of New Zealand. His report will be looked for with the keenest interest. He arrived at the Lakes on Sunday night last, and is now accompanied by Mr S. Percy Smith, Assistant SurveyorGeneial, Mr Blair, C.E., and other gentlemen. But to return to the scene of erupi tion, from which we have digressed too I long. The woist remains to be told. It was at the little village of Te Wairoa, situated on Lake Tarawera, about rnidvay between Rotorua and Mount Tarawera, that the most awful shock was felt. This is where tourists used to pass the night prior to their excursion to Rotomahana and the Terraces the following day. Here was situated the Temperance Hall, built through the generosity of Mr Snow ; two hotels ; Maoii schoolhouse, and close beside, the house of the schoolmaster, Mr Hazaid ; Te Mu old Mission Station, and native whares. The Hazard family were aroused between one and two by violent earth tremors, and the whole household, including a nephew, aged five, and two visitors, Messrs. Blythe and Lundins, thought it prudent to get up and dress. On going out, the eastern horizon was found covered to a great height with dense clouds, charged with brilliant electricity • Soon a shower of stones drove them indoors, and when the craters at Rotomahana got to work, heavy mud followed, which quickly tried the stability of the house. The awfulnefis of the scene cannot be imagined except by those who, imprisoned in their homes, deafened by horrible roarings coming they knew not whence, were uncertain whether to fly or to remain where they were. The Hazards chose the latter course, but it was not long before the roof showed signs of succumbing to the heavy load of mud upon it. The two visitors, together with the two eldest Misses Hazard and an old Maori servant woman, got clear of the falling ruins, though not without great risk and trouble ; but Mr Hazard was killed, it would appear, instantaneously by a falling beam. Mrs Hazard, sitting in her chair, was imprisoned with two children, by timbers falling around them. She was rescued during the day, after seven hours' dreadful detention, having suffered a severe injury to hei leg, and in a state of collapse from the awful shock. All the children jverc found dead, including the little nephew one of them died in her mother's arms, It is a most pathetic and moving story , and has formed perhaps the central incident in the story of the outbreak, The ruined house was set on fire by a hot stone, but it does not appear thai

the bodies were injured thereby. They were recovered only after great labour, as great quantities of mud had to be removed. Mrs Hazard is slowly recovering from the shock, the full force of vrhich has gradually come home to her. Another fatal incident has a melancholy interest. The inmates of Mcßae's Hotel, roused by the first shakings and thunderings, were uncertain whether to go or stay. They witnessed the grand spectacle of Tarawera in full blast, but little conceived from which direction their own destruction was to speedily come. At length the collapsing roof warned the inmates to fly, and wiapping blankets and shawls over their heads to keep off the mud and stones, t^iey issued forth into the darkness. Mud covered everything to a depth of several feet, and locomotion was almost impossible. Among the number who tried to leave the falling hotel was a young English tourist named Bainbiidge, fiom Newcastle-on- j Tyne, hut he was quickiy missed by Mcßae and otheis, who turned back to search for him. In vain, however. It was not till many hours after that his fate was ascertained, when his dead > body was dug out of the mud close to the hotel, part of the verandah of which had fallen on him, and ; crushed his head. The rest of the night at Te Wairoa was spent by the terrified inhabitants in such rude shelter as was obtainable, and in the morning rescue pmties ai lived from Rotorua. The Snow Temperance Hall has fared no better than the hotels ; like them it lies level with the ground. Thick mud envelopes everything, in some places to a depth of ten feet, and Te Waiioa has been abandoned, Dr. Hector being of opinion that a heavy rain would cause the mud to slide from the steep sides of the neighbouring hills and engulf the whole valley. The loss of life among the Maoris has been very large; over ioo are already reported to have perished ; but the whole truth will not be ascertained for some time to come. The amount of devastation caused by the eruption is not measured by the destruction caused in the neighbourhood of the Hot Lakes. The mud deposit is confined probably to an area measured by a six-mile radius from Rotomahana ; but the shower of ashes or volcanic dust extends for many leagues, and over a valuable pastoral country. The huge cloud which was diverted on the morning of the 10th from Rotorua seems to have extended as far as Tauranga and Opotiki, dropping its contents also upon all the intermediate and surrounding districts. In some places it is inches deep, coverup the heibase and starving the cattle. In others it is only deep enough to be presently inconvenient, and will probably be removed by the first heavy rain. Pitiable accounts come in, from those places where the dust lies heaviest, oi dead cattle and sheep, and those who arc able are moving their stock to the coast, thence to ship them to Auckland. There is no doubt that great distress will ensue in the agricultural districts between Tarawera and the coast, and it is a happy sign of willingness to help that a relief fund has already been sel on foot.