DR. HECTOR'S VISIT TO WAIROA. Rotorua, June 14.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 157, 19 June 1886, Page 4

DR. HECTOR'S VISIT TO WAIROA. Rotorua, June 14.

Dr. Hector's visit to Wairoa was the most important event of to-day. Whatever intention he had in setting out in the boat across Tarawera Lake, he abandoned it after an examination of the position ol affairs ; indeed, he considered this so serious that he ordered the immediate evacuation of Wairoa and the closing of the road, which has now become an almost impassable sea of mud, in which vehicles, pedestrians, and horsemen are continually bogged. Dr. Hector's reason for taking this step is not the fear of further eruptions, although they are not impossible, nor even improbable, , but the consequence which must follow the first heavy rain where mud has become softened with water. It hag already commenced to slip down the hillsides in streams, and this fact points to the consequences of a general subsidence of tho millions of tons of mud on the steep hillsides. In Dr. Hector's opinion, great mud glaciei's would be formed •which, slipping down into tho valleys and lakes, would bring tho road to a depth of perhaps forty feet, and render c?capo impassablo to any one thuo cut off. He thinks the danger to human life now from this cause ia infinitely greater than from an increase in the volcanic energy. The lakes filled with vast masses of mud would overflow, and a long period, perhaps months, must elapse before the country can settle into a condition of anything like permanent subsidence. With indications of an early break in the long-continued fine weather, Dr. Hector considers it inadvisable to delay precautionary measures, find everyone is being hurried out by his direction. To-night communication may be opened up between YVairon and Ohinemutu by Carrol's eroding, Lake Rotakahi to Katoriria, and thence by the track running round by Whnkarewarewa. Th,ie is the route described by me before as the best one for 1 caching the mountains above Kolomahann. EoioaiiSLo View of fixe Cauae of tho Eruption With lejj-ird to the volcanic eruption, Dr Hector holds similar views to those suggested in my letter yesterday. He bolie\es that tho earthquake shocks caused by the outbreak of Tarawera mountain lupt.ured the ttc-am pipes in tho Ivotoma hana genets and let in the water ot the lake upon the subterranean heat, resulting in the generation of enormous quantities of and the ejectment of tho mud at the bottom of tho lake. He doubts, however, whether the eruption has been of a charactei w Inch produces the formation of lava He thinks r.ither that the outburst on Ttuaweia w i- CArMHI by the ruptiucof the scaled cap v. ]iiv.!) w.i pie-iiou-ly imporxiotis to steam ; r!.e m n 5 icLemOling .-'.'Oi'ia., wove, lie Lhi.ikb. jjinioil by heat produce;! in - tvum, .-.-i J ilOl thiough liquefaction ot the ux-k hy liitf.'i-c' lient. ""From a nr- n!)or of .-uerimeiis1 2i.ul collected on lie h'wLi hills at the uai k uf Jlotomahana, ho selected ono w hich, from itr> chira.'toii.-fio-, gave indications- of lava Tho rest \.eic mostly piece* j 01 t-tuico toimatiou and a Mnnll piece of obMctinn. A» to the chance or afiuthei eruption. Dr Hector hesitates to pronounce any decided opinion. He belic\ c-, however, thai the cliiet danger ot pic.ent i- from the mud. I[c says the danger horn the shifting of vueent deposits is w ell recognised. A IM&cult The boat in which it va?> intended to eros-5 Lake Tarawera, for the purpose of in'•peeling- To Ariki settlement, wa- lowered with considerable difficulty, and the crew descended by aid of ropes. It was a plucky operation. Tho paity was under the direction of Major Mair, and will thoroughly examine the settlement and ascertain if there it any chance of any human being remaining alive. Mr J. A. Pond and party made an expedition on horseback to Rotomahana by the route described yesterday. They went close up to the craters along the old blind creek leading from Okaro to Rotomahana, and found them to be fumaroles or steam vents ejecting stones, and in only one instance, the large hill near Okaro Lake.aie the stones thrown outside the ctater. Another party walked along the bed of Rotomahana at the foot of the hills, where there was a perfectly level path formed by the dust deposits. They obtained a glimpse through steam into the centre of the lake, and confirmed intelligence already wired, that it is now one immense volcano, spluttering like a porridge pot and sending its hot mud high into the air. Mount Taraweia is the only place that exhibits the characteristics of a tiue volcano crater. On the side next Rotomahana there is an enormous chasm more than half way up the mountain., from which not only are huge stones projected, but streams of sulphur ara running over the lip. Several large 'fumaioles are playing on ridges of the great mountain. Mr. Pond, from such examination of the grey duet as ho was able to make, is of opinion that it consist 5*5 * of silicate of alumina, with perhaps lime, pota«h and .soda. Thcto is not a shadow of doubt that both the terrace? have been smashed, and Dr. Hector readily classed the fragments collected on the hill-side.'

THE DISINTERRED MAOF.I. The di?covery of an old chiet named Tuotu Tonga, in the buried uhare at Wairoa to day, is a strong reflection on the dilatorine^s of the Government in adopting measures, to explore these houses. Although the mud was heaped around the whare and orer the roof to a hciu'ht of over four feet, the door was not. so blocked a? to r-hut out the failure to find him alive is partly due to the wi&h of the native 5 ? in the village that he should never be discovered. He is reputed to be over one hundred year.-* old, greatly feared ns a -wizard of fii -t-olass-transmogrification power*. Ho i* accused of causing the death of a child befoic by bewitching him. The destruction of Wai10a is also partly attributed to the old man's malevolence. When found he seemed peifectly contented with his condition, although a meie skeleton. Hip 10-i houi.V hybernating had nob made him speechle^-, and he protested against betnjr carried out. He at once partook of food, however, and on reaching the Sanatorium was. fed upon' milk, administered in small quantities. His dutiful nephews and grandchildren \\ ho had made no efforts to search for their aj>ed relative, flocked down to weep over him when he came in. Native Sympathy for the Wairoa ftdfugeos. To-day was a great clay with. the" Wairoa refugees, in front of the meeting-house at Ratenia the food for distribution was

heaped up. The great red flag of the tribe bearing the name of their ancestor was hoisted at flag mast, and the chiefs made the usual harangues. The natives of the districts have behaved very well towards their unfortunate brethren, dividing clothing with them. The Government have also authorised the issue of food and clothing.

FUNERALS OP THE VICTIMS. A very saddening spectacle was witnessed at the cemetery in the burial of Mr Hazard and hia five children, and the English tourist, Bainbridge, in graves side by side. Mr Me Arthur was present as a Siend of the stranger whose life has been brought to an untimely end in our midst.

IDLE RUMOURS. Ohinemutu is in a condition for the pioduction of a panic on very small provocation, and wonderful stories, which are puie fiction, or have slight foundation, fly about continuously. One current to-day, in much detail, was to the effect that Mount Edgecumbe had broken into eruption, or that White Island w*>s in a terrible ferment. There seems no ground for this report beyond the increased activity of the Ngawhas^ at Tikitere and adjacent districts, which, as Dr. Hectov points out, is readily accounted for, both here and there, by the closing of the outlets Avith mud and the banking up of water in the lakes and springs. Kotorua is two feet, higher from this cause, but the overflow will soon clear a course for itself, as it lias already done at Waivoa. What nviy be the effect of the slipping of the mud on the north shore into Rotorua remains to he seen. There is a very sad side to this catastrophe, thei c is also a humorous one, Air Morgan, surveyor, relates that, he a\ i\°> at Galatea with the natives, and when the shower of ashes came an, one native foil nn ]ri^ knees and exDlaimod, " 0 Lord, if you -u ill only let us get out of this 1 wiP give you a pound, and Morgan shall keep it."