THE BUSH FIRES.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 42, 18 February 1908, Page 4

THE BUSH FIRES.

CONFXiAGRATR)X :SMK »feATiEATL

SEMOUS , LOSSES.' :

I (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) '

WAIHIj MbMay. , '.■On' Saturday a large bush , up VtCaitere 'Valley, , comprising millions of feet"; of | timber, caught' fire, and. it is now burning fiercely, the Waihi Company's bush "in Mat'aui-a Valley has also been invaded by the fiery elements, and nothing can be .done to stem the progress of'fifes, which in the absence of moisture;'fe. likely to sweep the bush. Already about .1000° cribbings for mine purposes' have : been destroyed; The Tamaki sawmill owners lost a large bush near Katikati, and are likely to suffer serious loss. The bush is com-' prised of rimu and kauri timber, .and for miles there is nothing but long stretches of flames. .Large nuiribers .of, pigs have been roasted alive, and several bridges have,, been destroyed. Mr. F. Clarkin, who has a contract for carting timber out of tne bush," brouglit Tiis 15 draught horses, valued at £700, r into Waihi this afternoon in consequence of the danger to which they were exposed. Mr. G. McGlaslian, the local manager, and Messrs. Potier, Johnstone Bros., Carkin, Joyce, and Sampson, have been; fighting the flames all day to save if pbs-, sible the sawmill, which is surounded on all sides.' The fire loss will run into hundreds of pounds. Large fires also prevail in Piako swamp, and, as smoke is coining from all quarters, Waihi is completely .enveloped. This afternoon darkness, seemed' to set in much earlier than usual, and the setting sun was like a big red ball in the heavens. When the moon rose it had precisely the same fiery aspect. Prayers for rain were offered up in the Anglican Church yesterdar.

LATER.

FIRES SPREADING AT WAirEKAUBI I -

WAITAWHETA FOREST A3LAZK

(By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) .

•WAIHI, this day. i Fires are fitill spreading on all sides,] ' and smoke is lying very thick, as if a dense fog. Information received from Waitekauri states that matters are serious there. The Maoriland battery had a narrow escape yesterday. The manager (Mr. Christie) i discovered the building on fire, and took effective measures and extinguished the outbreak in its incipient stage. The battery is eurrounded by burning trees and bush scrub. . The large kauri forest at Waitawheta, owned by the Government, is burning fiercely, and in is said that one cannot get nearer to it than two miles owing . to dense smoke and intense heat. No further information jg to hand from the Tamaki Sawmill Company's bush, but several bridges and sections of tramway have so far been destroyed. Upon inquiring at the "Waihi GJM. Co.'s office .this morning l< Ascertained that so far they had mot .suffered on account of the fires, though contractors for supplying mining, .timbers at. the : bush may be losers. - ' .. Drought is telling upon the company's vratiii supply ffor power purposes; hut the position is not yet' acute. There ■is sufficient -water available for boiler purposes, and powerful engines keep the mills running; <•■'

PAEROA, this aeyi During the past few days the town nas been enveloped in smoke from fires which are raging on the surrounding bills and in the Piako Swamp. Navigation of the river is greatly impeded. So serious damage is yet reported in this district.

MOKAI MILL SAffEL

<By Telegraph.—Pres* Assoelationa

WELLINGTON,Monday. -A Press. Association -telegram yesterday stated that the totara tush at Mokai was in danger of being swept away. To-day Mr. Dalziell, chairman of the Taupo Timber Company, telegraphed for particulars, and wassinfonned that the report was incorrect, and.- I that there was no fire in the bush or near the M.okai .mill.

DAMAGE IN RiBGLAN.

RAGLAN, laqnday. Extensive bush and. grass, fires hayc been raging for nearly a week, aho; there is hardly a bush clearing that 4s not either burning or burnt. Thousands of acres of grass' have-been destroyed, and hundreds .of miles of fencing. Several farmers have had al] their grass destroyed, and what to do with the stock is a problem. The dairy factories will have to close down as some of the largest suppliers have lost all their feed. So far np Swellinga have been destroyed, but in the bush, country sparks from burning trees are a constant menace. The ;prospect for the winter is -very gloomy. Owing to the drought the turnip crop is a iailu*e- If rain comes soon there will be a good growth of grass in the autumn and there is still time to put in soft tnniipe. All the usual signs of rain nave come and gone, but the rain has not come yet.

EtAKO SWAMP tXRE.

(By TelesrapE-town Cocrespondent) THAMES, this day. A big swamp on the Piako block whict includes a large area recently purchased by the Government, is bn fire, and considerable damage has been done. A of inconvenience wfll naturally result.