The Hawaiian gazette., 1886-07-06
A FriqhtfuI Disaster
In the Hot Lake District of New
Zealand.
Great Loss of Life.

\ striking and terrible disaster has occurred
IN the Hot Lake district of New Zealand. This IS
one OF the most picturesque spots IN the world,
and IN some of its features it was unique. On
June 10th, at a few minutes after midnight the
mountain of Tarawera, q spot which native ira
dtlon, extending back five hundred years has no
record of having been IN action, suddenly burst
forth INTO activity overwhelming IN masses OF
mud all who were within a six miles circuit. At
Malwa, the deposit of mud was in some places
thirty feet thick But twenty miles off the
crow flies the pastures have been covered an inch
thick with volcanic ash. The immediate damage
consists III the loss of seven Europeans and ninety
seven natives, the destruction of five native
villages, two hotels, two houses, and the mission
hail. and the overspreading of the country with
debIIs The future danger arises from the slip
ping down of the thick mud deposits under rain
action. Mr.. McRae, the owner of the Rotomo-
hama hotel gives the following graphic account of
the eruption. He says; About 1880 the ground
began to shake, and shook continually for an
hour before the eruption broke out. When this
was first seen ii was Just like small cloud on the
mountain, with flashes of lightning of great bril-
liancy. Apparently the mountain had three era
tiers, and flames were shooting up fully thousand
feet high. There seemed to be a continuous
shower of balls of fire for miles around. As the
storm appeared to be coming on, we returned to
the hotel andIshortly afterwards what seemed to
be heavy hallstones came pouring on the roof
which continued about quarter of an hour This
was succeeded by fall os heavy stones, fire balls
and mud, lava falling after the manner of rain
The weight of these substances on the roof began
to tell upon it.
Zealand Herald gives the gist of the whole occur
ence:-"Early ON the morning of June 10th, loud
reports were heard IN Auckland $50 miles from
the scene. Between eight and nine o'clock tele-
grams were received telling US of the great vol
canic outbUrSt which had occurred in the vicinity
of Rhotomahana, and at the earliest moment re-
porters were dispatched by the Herald to obtain
full particulars. Great anxiety was shown to dis
4bo ,,f fha oF ,r,l 20
ascertain if the Terraces of Rotomahana were still
intact. The first party to start from Rotorua to
approach the Terraces and the site of the eruption
encamped near the craters on the first night ard
next day made as careful an examination of the
locality as possible. Their conclusion was that
the Terraces had been utterly destroyed, and that
all the natives residing III the settlements near
Rotomahana must have persisted.
DR.. Hector, Director of the Colonial Geological
Department, left Wellington Immediately the
news of the outburst received, and spent
few days at Rotorua. His theory is, that the
eruption commenced IN Tarawera, that the earth
quake shocks consequently burst and dislocated
the pipes or tubes which connected the geysers at
Rotomahana with the heated interior of the
earth, and that thereupon the small lake (Roto-
mahana) ran down, generating an enormous
quantity of steam, and causing tremendous
explosion.
The district in which the event has occurred is
happily one in which there is almost no European
settlement. 1t was largely visited by tourists dur
ing Tue suuheI SedSoIIi Oul OWING SredllI ~ ING
existence of these hot springs. and the fact that
the soil not fertile, it was but sparsely popu-
lated, even by natives, to whom the whole country
belongs. 1t has frequently been proposed to set
it aside from settlement, and to make it national
domain, filled it is with beautiful scenery, and
with natural wonders. In all probability this will
now be done.
In the immediate vicinity of the volcanoes the
land was naturally barren and was all in fern, SO
that the thick coating of dust and mud can do no
harm. 1t is even believed that it will be of much
ultimate benefit and will enable the whole country
to bear grass.
The latest accounts show that as might be ex-
pected, the action of the steam craters opened by
the eruption is decreasing though earth tremors
are still occasionally felt.