THE VOLCANIC DISTURBANCE.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume XIX, Issue 1847, 21 June 1886, Page 2

THE VOLCANIC DISTURBANCE.

Rotobca, Friday. There are upwards of 400 natives now gathered in the village of Ohinemutn, and tbs big meeting bouse presents an animated scene., Maoris of all ages and both sexes packing it to its utmost capacity. The Wairos natives are now practically landless, andtbers has been some talk among the Rolorna tribes of giving them land ; it has so far, however, corns to nothing, and in the end Government will doubtless be left to provide for them. Mews has been received that the natives of Orakeikorsko, alarmed at tbe increased activity of the springs there, snd hearing of tbe fate of Tarawora, are clearing oat. This district with tbe whole of the Faeroe range, is in a condition of perpetual ferment. From Paeroa the overflow of the hot springs baa produced * warm river. The whole of the country beyond Eakaramee mountain, at the bead of lake Okaro south, for miles, is of such a character that it would not be surprising to bear of another eruption in that direction.

In a well written article, the New Zealand Times sums up the aotnal results of tbe Volcanic Eruption as follows Mount Tarawera appears first to have broken out as an active volcano, hurling ashes, dost, and red hot stones to a height of four vertical miles, whence these ejeeta were distributed over a wide area of country, some of tbe ashen travelling nearly fifty miles. About an hour later the outburst at Lake Botomahane seems to have taken place, tbe water of the lake and its olay-bed, with tbe material of the Pink and White Terraces being suddenly blown into the air as a vast mud-cloud wbieh, in its descent, covered the enrronnding country to various depths ranging np to 30 feet, bury, ing the Native villages of Wairoa and Te Ariki, and thrusting tbe village of Moure* bodily into Lake Tatawera, by which it was completely swallowed up, tbe total number e( lives lost being estimated at 104. The destruction of property has been relatively trifling in proportion to tbe magnitude of the outbreak, although serious enough to the unfortunate individual sufferers. Perhape tbs heaviest loss will prove to be in tbe temporary destruction of all feed for stock, by th* tremendous avalanche of mud, which deluged the whole of tbe affected district, but It i* already hoped tbxt the winter rains will speedily overcome that difficulty. There i* one loss which is most regrettable, and wholly irreparable—that of tbe unique Pink and White Terraces, tbe wonder and delight of every visitor. The Botomahana Lake aad its Terraces have bodily disappeared from t)>« face of tbe earth, and have been replaced by a numerous group of very active volcanic craters. Muoli is lost in beauty, but os much: is gained in sensational and scientific interest.