TWO EARTHQUAKES.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 157, 19 June 1886, Page 5

TWO EARTHQUAKES.

Two sharp earthquake shocks were felt at Ohinemutu shortly after midnight ; a second succeeding the first at an interval of half-an-hour was very severe. The undulatory motion proceeding from the direction of Tarawera caused the windows to shake, and the water juirs rattle in the basins Many people at the second shake got up and dressed and went into the streets, not knowing what these disturbances might portend. In Wellington such shocks would not cauee much uneasiness, but here, after recent experiences, and knowing the honeycombed nature of the ground, there is a natural feeling of nervousness. Heavy volume 3 of steam hung over Tarawera, but there was no sign of aoother eruption After looking round and comparing note=, the people went to bed and slept in psace.

A FISSURE TEN 3SILES LONG. Dr, Hector's examination of Rotomahana showed a great crack, or earth fissure, extending from Whangawhanga Mountain, on the far side of Tarawera, through that mountain, and nearly up to Okaro, a distance of 10 miles. Ho is of opinion that if any disturbance should open this up to Okaro, letting in the waters of that lake, there will be another blow up, but he also believes that there are vents enough opened in the recent eruption to provide safety-valves for the whole North Island. He' intimated that the crater now working could throw atones 800 feet. The appearance of Lake Rotomahana is just as described before. It is pretty certain that no large body of water remains, though some pools are visible through the steam. The old swamp is converted into a fiat.

THE OLD CHIEF. The old chief who dug himeelf out gave trouble to the police in getting him from Wairoa. He refused to leave, and was tied in a chair and carried away, kicking viciously.