Serious Grass and Bush Fire at Martinborough. (Our Own Correspondent.)

An illustration of how fires originate was afforded on Monday afternoon. As Mr. J, , Rnssell, of Wangamona Station, was driving in his buggy to Martinborongh, having two ladies and his groom >. ith him, when passing the Hon. John Martin's Otaria Station ho lighted a cigar, taking the precaution not to throw the match on the road lest it should ignite the grogs, but carefully placing it as he thought at his feet in the buggy. About five minutes afterwards the party discovered . that somo brown paper aid the rug that was at the bottom of tho buggy were in flames. Every ono scrambled out with the exception : of one lady who was rather stout, and who . kopt her soat. Before leaving the buggy, they threw the burning rug, Ac, on to the grass, which ignited in a second. To make the matter worse the horses, two spirited animals, bolted with the lady ocoupant, and beforo the horses conld be brought tot a standstill the fire had got such a great 'hold that their efforts to extinguish it wore of no avail. Mr. Russell, on arriving at Martinborough, sent a number of men on horseback to try and stop its progress, but their efforts were of no avail. The firo is still raging, and has now extended to Messrs. Joseph and Phillip's, Dry Rivor Station. The consoquonce of this accident is that thousands of acres of good feod is burnt, and miles of fencing doatroyed. At the time of writing (Wednesday), Mr. J. Tully's station near hore is all on fire for miles. One part of Mr. W. Mitchell's run (Moaik) is also on fire. It is very heavy bush hind, all totara, whioh I hear belongs to Messrs. Stewart & Co., of Wellington. This fire will destroy a huge amount of valuable timber. Having made onquiries re the missing nan Samuel Campbell, I hear that no man answering his description has been arrested at Groytown. It has only been roported that a man supposed to have been he passed through the native settlement (Papawoi) the other day.