ERUPTION ORDEAL

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 145, 20 June 1936, Page 2

ERUPTION ORDEAL

A RESCUER’S DIARY FINDING OF OLD TOHUNGA “I have failed to find reference in any of the published accounts of the Tarawera disaster of the one man whose name should always be linked therewith. I refer to Air Edward Douglas, the first man to penetrate the devasted area from the outside,” writes Air Frank Eyre, of Okauia. to the New Zealand Herald. “Being in possession of that gentlemen’s diary, 1 think some tribute to his memory should be paid. Douglas, whoso discipline came from naval training, was among the dozen people who remained in Rotorua during the early hours of the outbreak. The first glimmer of real light came to Rotorua at about 7 a.m. on the morning of June 10, when Douglas and E. Robertson set out for Te Wairoa in the hope of succouring some of the stricken people of that village, urging on the two horses which drew their buggy apparently against a wall of a c hy darkness. Through the Dark “Though daylight had long since arrived to the outer world tne two men were unable to see four fugitives from the Tikitapu bush until they were right upon them. The two would-be rescuers were urged to go batk, as the fugitives considered no one had survived at Te Waioa. Their advice went unheeded. A little further on a number of fleeing Alaoris were met with. Haeremai’ they cried. ‘ls Rotorua saved?’ The next persons met with were Alessrs. Faloona and Stubbs, leaning two women along the darkened road; then Alessrs. Humphries, Biigh (Blythe?), and Bennett, two of AlcRae’s servant girls, Airs Humphrles, the two Misses Haszard, and behind them Alessrs. Bird and Luudius. ‘From these people Douglas and his companion gained the first real information concerning the bitter plight of Te Waioa. Robertson took the ladles back to Rotorua in the conveyance, and Douglas and the menfolk pushea on again towards the stricken village. Soon they met Mcßae and Bird, w?io also joined the rescue party. Further on Constable Maloney joined In. a. start was made on the site of Haszard’s house. The eldest boy was extricated. He moaned in Douglas’ arms and asked for a drink. When Airs Haszard was reached a movement of her hand told the rescuers that she too was alive, and it was necessary to remove with bare | hands about three feet of debris beneath which she lay. Tribute to Mrs Haszard ” ‘Among those who lived,’ Douglas wrote, ‘she was the only calm person we met with., This heroic woman held her balance in the face nf death and even worse things. At this part of bis narrative Douglas states that if rescue efforts had been better organised more people would have been saved. “On the morning of June 12, Douglas, together with Alessrs. Warjrick, Black and Edwards, organised a boat party at Rotorua to search Ariki and other lakeside places. I’he owner of the boat asked £l2 10s in case his ( craft did not return, but negotiations fell through when the Government agent would only go to £10! The four men then signed a guarantee for the required amount, Douglas naively stating that he ‘signed Air Harrow’s name also, as he was not there.’ Warbrivk gave his own light craft, and both boats arrived late that uight at Te Waioa on a wagon. “It was while sitting around the fire at Sophia’s Whare that they heard from some natives that Tuhato, ‘the priest who caused all the trouble,’ was buried in his whare. Douglas met with fierce opposition when he suggested that the priest should be unearthed, but was adamant. That night, however, he was attacked in his bunk and sc severely handled that he could not go with the boating party next day. ‘He accompanied Alessrs. Vogan, Harrow, and Windbusch to the site of tho priest’s abode, and reclaimed ‘the evil one’ after two hours’ digging. ‘What do you want with me?’ Tuhato said. ‘Go away, I do not like you.’ When they dragged him out he was bewildered. He did not recognise the new world to which he was raised. ‘I will not go to Rotorua,’ he said. “Aly people are here—dead.’ Douglas was generous in bis praise of

those who worked at Te Waioa in the hours following the cataclysm, but to him must go the credit of leaving safety behind in the hope of doing good to at least some of his more unfortunate fellow-'creatures who were suffering a sad blow at Nature's hand."