BUSH FIRES SPREAD.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 18925, 14 February 1927, Page 8

BUSH FIRES SPREAD.

HUNDREDS FIGHTING FLAMES. I MANY TOWNS DESERTED IN VICTORIA. | REPETITION OF RECENT HOLOCAUST THREATENED. ,BY CABLE— r!:FSS ASSPIUTIOS—rOrTRIGHT.) (WSTRALIAU AND N.~, I'ABLt ABBOCIATIOK.) MELBOURNE. Febiuary 1-. A second bush fin\ burning on a front of several miles, dvivon by a gusty hot wind, swept through thousands of acres of si rul> ami grazing protijids. from the kangaroo grounds over the Yarra into Wonga l'nrk. II is estimated thnt nearly 1000 men aro lighting tlio flames, which are now niDving towards Croydon. The damage is enormous and unlee* tlio weather changes the holocaust op 12 months ago. when 30 people lost their lives, may he repeated. The fires continue, to sweep many miles of country between Kiiißlakoand Croylon. leaving a trail of desolation nn-1 Blackened ruin. It, is helioved that Speed, who with his two children perished in the. flnnies. after taking his children almost to tlie main rond, r<*turned in an attempt to save the bouse and was followed back by the children. Seeing them in difficulties on account of tho smoke it is supposed that he tried to return x\itn them to the road, when all three were overcome bv heftfc And smoko ond die-d in the flames. Speed's other three children escaped uninjured. Mrs Speed was absent from home at the time. The grass in the whole district is long and as dry as tinder, and in the strong wind fire rushed across the country at a rate which made it impossible for the fire>-fighters to cheek its advance. The best they could do wa,s to divert tr> some extent the flames from settlers' homes. Scarcely a i"- wan to be seen in the townships the affected area. Many feats of 'croism and endurance were performed. Tlie townships of Qnepnstown and Panton Hills are still in grave, danger.

GOVERNOR AS FIREFIGHTER. MANY THRILLING RESCUES. (ACSTBAMAK AltD H.Z. CABLE ASSOCUTIOK.) (Received February 13th, 5.5 p.m.) MELBOURNE, February 18. Bush fires continue to rage in many parts of Victoria. In the van of one big party of lire-fighters in the Yarra Valley are Lord Somers, the Governor of thq State, and his personal staff. Many appeals for help nave bpen received, and the responses are gratifying, but the danger is not yet past. Thero have been many thrilling rescues.