DISASTROUS FIRES.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume XXXV, Issue 5005, 23 January 1907, Page 2

DISASTROUS FIRES.

BUSH ABLAZE IN SOUTHLAND.

TERRIBLE EXPERIENCES OF SETTLERS

(Per Press Association.) INYERCAKUIJUU .lan. 21. The bush iires continue to rage ia the Seaward Bush and round about. A -heavy mass of smoke drifts are continually across the sky. At Otatara, the settlers have been firefightiwg for days, and work has bven almost susixrm4etl. Mr Itabert Marton, who recently took up a Government section at Maple Grove, was burnt out yesterday afternoon, his four-roomed house bein^ practically destroyed. The building <&as not insured.' It is said that thy seUU>rs.m this locality are passing through a reign oi terror. Women are joining the uncn in fighting to save tlwir homes. Wallace's mill, at .Hedgehope, has been completely destroyed. It "is believed the mill was insured, but the particulars of the insurance are not available. Practically th» whole of Seaward Bush, from Georgetown to the Gorge Road, a distance of 19 miles, is on fire. The Tisbury sawmill, owned by Mr Fairweather, was demolished, along with four houses in the vicinity. The , railway station at Tistmry was destroyed, and a bacon factory, built of brick, was threatened, the skylight igniting several times. Miles of fencing have been burned. Broad's small sawmill between Tisbury ami Waimatua, and Timpany Bros." sawmill at Waimatua, have been razed to the ground ami chains of tramways destroyed. Messrs .John Timpany and Uiih.ml Lloyd, who werej protecting a bridge, had a <narro\y escape. The fire surrounded them, and they made: a dash through the bush, finally taking refuge in a waterhole, where they kept thq flames off by throwing water on the surrounding -bushes. After remaining thore a'or three 'hours, they found their . way . ..to... the .^.Woo-d lands tramline, where they were picked up exhausted by a party with a trolly. At Tisbury two nun trying to save a quantity of oats ami chaff were .-in grave danger, and had to fly for their lives. A lad driving a dray through the bush had to remove tire horse and abandon the vehicle, which was burned on the road. The evening train from Jnvercarg-ill was unable to get past. Tisbury. sawmills are "insured, but the amounts are not so far definitely ascerlainable. Mr Timpany had £500 in the Commercial Union, but estimates his loss at £1500.