FOREST FIRE

LARGE AREA SWEPT

PART STATE PLANTATION

(By Telegraph—Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, December 27

Two areas of pinus insignis plantation covering altogether 660 acres were swept by fire in Canterbury this afternoon.

One fire affected 500 acres or more ot pine plantation in the Eyrewell State Forest, north of the Waimakariri River The outbreak, the cause of which i.% not ascertainable, was reported at 1.35 p.m., and required the efforts of 70 fire-fighters to bring it under control after almost nine hours.

At 10.30 o'clock tonight this fire was stated to be in ftand, and It was thought that ail further danger of its spread was passed.

The Eyre well Forest comprises about 24,000 acres, so that the work of the gangs had to be directed against any major spread. The Conservator ol State Forests at Christchurch, Mr. R. H. Murray, said that the problem had been to confine the fire to a narrow strip along the outsia of the plantation, but in this the gangs had been successful.

About 110 acres of the Selwyn Plantation Board's afforestation area at Bankside were completely destroyed The trees burned were three, four, and five-year-old pines, the cost of replacing which will be about £500. Plantation board employees, railway work ers, and neighbouring farmers worked hard to get the fire under control.

The police are Investigating the cause of the fire, which is thought to have been started by, careless picnicke*& ■--