Various Outbreaks.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXVII, Issue 7084, 24 January 1907, Page 3

Various Outbreaks.

The man about iown, yesterday, in his condemnation of the fierce noi'-wpst gale which ragfd throughout the dwy, whs not slow to affirm that the wind, besides blowing all tho ripe grain o«t of the sheaves into the eta, would spread grasp fires in every direction. The gloomy prediction seems to have hern only too near the tnnrk, as rpr^-t! f" hand in Ashburton this morning, though somewhat vagup, pointed to the dostrnction of muoh pasture in the neighbourhoods of Rangita'a, Longbeaob.Dromore, Winchmoreand Lauiiston No definite word wan to h md, however, and ©nquiries instituted from this office elicited the following replies:

RANGITATA. (By Telegraph- Special to Guardian.) A disastrous fire etavted yesterday afternoon on the south side of the railway linn, four miles sooth of Rangitata. It wss confined to the grass and gorse fence?, the crops being rather too green to feed its lightning inarch. The house of Mr Washington, at Rangitatn, whs burnt to the ground, and Mrs Washington and children weitt only rescued in the nick of timn. A bouse of Mr Webb's hud a marvellous escape, tho fire having burnt all round it. A portion of his stock was burnt, but luckily willing helrera opened tha gates and saved many animals. Many nores of grass and mileß of fencing were destr yed.

On Monday another fire in the riveabed quickly spread to Mr Richard's run on Bangitata Island, and destroyed all the grass on that ma.

Farther information from Rangitata states that the fire had burned a stretch over a mile in length along the line and men were trying to beat ont the fire with sacks. The fire had extended along way towards the Be I*, and they heard at Orari that two farm houses nnd a number of live stock had been burned. In one case, it was •aid, a family of twelve had been rendered homeless.