FATE OF NATIVE SETTLEMENTS SOLVED. More Shocks of Earthquake.

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

FATE OF NATIVE SETTLEMENTS SOLVED. More Shocks of Earthquake.

Rotokua, June 14. This morning a slight earthquake was foil at OhinemuLu, and a sharp shock at a quarter to seven. The springs are very active. One cooking pot on the point has broken out into an active little geyser, throwing a column four feet high. A new spring has broken out on the road leading to the new township. Slight rain fell during the night, and the sky is now very overcast. Men of scientific proclivities hex*e seem to think that although the mud will commence to settle with the rain the consequences will not be more serious than rendering the roads impassable for the winter. The mud •will find its level in the valleys, and there is plenty of room for a rise in the lakes with a good fall for overaow. That there is good reason for the precautions taken by Dr Hectoris shown by the huge settling of the slip of dry earth deposit at Kotomahana which is reported by Turner, j who visited the lake, byway of a track from Wairoa, yesterday. ' Pond's party estimate the largest of th« new volcanic hills between Rotomahana and Okaro at. six hundred feet high and the crater at above three hundred feet across. This makes it about the height of Mount Eden, Auckland. Stones are thrown to a height of one hundred feet. The interior of che crater is composed of fine volcanic earth. The apathy of tho Government is greatly commented on in allowing Maoris to be imprisoned for four days without an effort to rescue them. There were enough volunteers to go in the boat across Lake Tnrawera on Friday, and yet a haggling over the 'paltry expense' of £12 kept these willing hands paralysed. The natives shoAv utter callousness to the fate of their friends, and have been taught to loan upon Government for everything. But that only aggravates rather than modifies the inaction of the authorities. The coach loads of passengers left for Tauranga to day. Eighty are reported to he coming up, but if the weather breaks it is useless for anyone to attempt to reachRotomahana. "Drl Bector and Mr Spencer, photographer, left this morning for Kaitereria, where nrrangements are being mado for a causeway to cross &otokakia, giving another outlet to Wairoa. Two policemen havo also been despatched there.