THE'BUSH FIRES.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 101, 22 January 1908, Page 7

THE'BUSH FIRES.

.« —^ — .■ V" ■< -.widespread' devastation , ' \ REPORTED. , l - i ■ ( , HEAVY LOSSES AT NIREAHA. FRESH OUTBREAKS IN HAWKE'S BAY. HOMESTEADS AND SAWMILLS - > DESTROYED. (Dt TELEGRAPH —SrECIAt : CORRESPONDENT,) i' •» ' * 1 iviastcrton, January 21. •:> 'Smoke 'from <-tho bush -'fircsvwas;.especially.s-f.*• thick;;hero! this morning, light ashes, which.' j had, been earned perhaps a'dozen miles being s .•« found voiiv the . furniture of \i/umhcrs; of resi-.' sxl donceG,.,, tho,door? r and' windows .of. which.-,// '.' had been thrown' open .- on ■ account of--tha»;'soft> heat. ' HEAVY LOSS AT NIREAHA. 1 ! A big bush fire rage\l, m Niroaha this morn-,' r mg at about :10 o'clock,, and destroyed . Stato, .school, teacher's residence, and also the -'residences ■ of, Messrs. E; > J.. Chow,' j: manager of: the, Nircafta Dairy, Factory, ■ C.' j',v-vJ Albortlisen, 8,. Goodm, C. Hansen, ! and'.. Suoy. All theso dwellings; with tho osccp* - 1 : s 1 tion. of - that ofirMr. : Albortlisen; who loft last weolc, wero, occupied. Everything has been; '" i ! destrb^d:',^;'v;fe;^^-;^ . Tho residences ,of Messrs.'. J. Daysh,' A.r s v Busst, and C.. Hall, and DrysdaloV sawmill' '~ : wore in cxtrcmo danger. Five or six men' ii.i 1 .havo-tboon-: guarding tho cheese factory, and' .' also tho store. .. Some women. arid children found-. sanctuary : " in tho I cheeso | factorvj and othors, have been I taken 'tor-'Elfctahuna.; Misses. Smith - and " Hutehins;- school-teachers, wero away from) - o thoir homo at tho time of the firo. v.-.", .'' Tho gale blow with groat violenco, until ll> o'clock; when tho .wind changed to tlio south,,:: • ■-/ andi hecimo lighter. • ,' ■ ■ ':iNo;milk,,Wßß; delivered at tho factory Uhis - morning, owing- to the general danger .to .- v dwellings and, tho thick smoko, which 'is ; 'i< ,budly. affecting' tho eyes of: tho women and nhildron. ' r,. ■■-. -Tlio.damage, ; so far, is estimated at £1000. • -A 1 strong galo sprang up late.: yesterday; l nftornoon. and blew tho _.whole., night;:, until, 7 o clock: this morning. i:~- . - -.v.- ,: ; ICORORA SETTLERS IN TROUBLE. Kofora settlers had another fight, and were ; almost : suffocated with:. smoke.: From 7- 'v - o'clock to 9.30 tho sky was so overcast with)- • ' thick smoko .that-' itiwas: liko' night. , '' ~' ..-i-.vfe-; Mr, Johnston's sawmill, .which appears to'. 'i -be3pTr-rhanned--lifc-m-tho--firo zono,' was again in great; danger; -while tho bridge on'- : ■ tho mam road to Waioncnvas destroyed." 'J .Tlip situation.was so.dangcrous that women!"' and children at - tho • residences of Messrs: >\ Gardner, Polglase, M'lnt-yro, and ; Davidson- 'i jy'oro.isent: into .--Pongaroa. They . suffered • •! soverely from smoko. .' J"Ecii , CsaV.ei'alhours .tho, wholo countrysido-' mi i and numbers of . Pongaroa'.'-: , .'. "residents.'-.left town to.t- help tho afflicted settlers.*-. *, ■ N : Rami.threatened, but.did not fall. Shortly!f after mid-day .tho wind changed,' and :th<r ' ■! 'situation' showed'improvement. ... . ' * : r also raging in the Manganiahoo ' district,-whero::Mr. W. Seymour's residenca j jvas inv great danger for somo considcrabla |