GRASS FIRES AT OPAKI.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 95, 15 January 1908, Page 7

GRASS FIRES AT OPAKI.

SPARKS FROM A RAILWAY ENGINE. : HUGH DAMAGE DONE. ■ Masterton, January 14. A grass firp occurred at Opaki to-day. It Was caused "by sparks'from'"the' middsy ex-press-train to' Napier - sweeping through Slpssrs. A. Buick's and P. W. Gaskin's p'ropsrtips. Tho flames consumed 100 ocrcs of grass and fire miles of ' fencing" on Mr. Buick's property, and 25 acres of oats in stook, and 240 acrcs of grass on llr. Gaskin'.^, 'besides much fcncing. ■Mr. Gaskin's house and outbuildings were miraculously saved, the flames burning tho graas all round. Mr. "\V. Knmmcr had a few acres of grass burnt ajso, and neighbouring paddocks suffered slightly. "It was reported in town'that Mr. Kummer s house was burning, and also the \Vai-poua-bridge at Akura, and tho Jubilee fire engine was despatched to the fire. A gang of railway men was telegraphed for from Opalfi. j Had the flanies not been checked by the AVaipoua River bank being readied many : other valuable wheat and oat crops would havo gone. ' ■ Smoke from bush and scrub fires, overhanging the city yesterday, gavo the sunlight a hucf qnite ambers-tinted. At a late hour last evening a glow on the horizon indicated tho presence of grass or gorse iires somewhere at the back of Karori.