FIRES NEAR RAILWAY LINES

Press, Volume LXXXV, Issue 25737, 24 February 1949, Page 6

FIRES NEAR RAILWAY LINES

FARMERS WANT MORE CO-OPERATION

On the suggestion of the chairman (Mr J. W. Earl) the North Canterbury Federated Farmers decided yesterday to write to the Railways Department asking for co-operation between the department and fire wardens in the various districts of Canterbury. Mr R. Croft said that not all fires in country areas were being lit by sparks from the funnels of railway engines. Many were caused by embers dropning from the fire-box and this was due to negligence by the crew or by the department. One of the principal troubles was that fire officers had no control over railway gangers and linesmen, who had started fires when burning alongside railway lines, said Mr M. M. Fleming. The question of farmers being forbidden to burn off stubble in paddocks in which they wished to plant winter feed was also discussed by the meeting. Members said some wardens welcomed the burning-off of paddocks if there was no danger because the naddocks served as fire-breaks if fires broke out. Some farmers, however, had been prevented from burning. Farmers were not fire-minded. They had one thing in mind—getting a crop of winter feed in. said Mr Fleming. That was all right provided there was no danger cf the fire spreading.