GREAT BUSH FIRE.

Auckland Star, Volume XX, Issue 289, 5 December 1889, Page 5

GREAT BUSH FIRE.

THE WAOTU BUSH DESTROYED,

£5,000 WORTH OF TIMBER AND FOURTEEN HOUSES BURNT.

A bush fire has been raging for some days at Waotu, which has resulted in the almost total destruction of tho valuable tobara bush. The fire was caused, says the " Waikato Titnoe," by a Maori who started a fire to make a clearing so thab he could plant tobacco. The fire ,got into the scrub, and before it could be extinguished the buuh caught, and resulted in damage to the extent mentioned above boing done. During the last day or two the wind has changed several times, which caused the tire to spread in all directions, and rendered all attempts to stop its progres3 futile. It was with great difficulty that &oiro of the residents saved their furniture, etc., for the fire got into the fern and made the rescuing of it warm work. The Waikato Timber Company's old mill has been totally destroyed, and all tne adjacent buildings, with the exception of Burnett's house and Bruce's store, and they were saved by web blankets, etc. The school and telegraph office fortunately escaped, and Mrs Ramsey and Miss Hazard kindly housed some of the sufferers. Thousands of posts that lay in the bush and round the mill have been destroyed, and the Company have suffered to the extent of quite £400 in that way. Mr Bruce also loses £200 by posts. The chief sufferers are the natives of the Ngathnaihi hapu, who had made extensive clearings, and had planted potatoes, the whole of which are destroyed. Tho poor natives had been relying on this for thoir very exisbence. They hope the Government may be disposed to grant them some assistance. Nearly all ttie inhabitants of the place have suffered t,o a greater or less extent, as their fences have been destroyed. This calamity will about ruin Waotu, which depended to a great extent upon its' totara bush. The trees thab are charred should be felled and split, as soon as the fire is extinguished, or they will run a further risk, as the fire will be certain to break out again when the dry weather comes again. Quite 600 acres of this valuable bush have been totally destroyed.. Tho natives and the Timber Company are the chief sufferers. Ib is bo be hoped that the rain last night has extinguished the fire.