HEAVY SMOKE AT HASTINGS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 101, 22 January 1908, Page 8

HEAVY SMOKE AT HASTINGS.

''ORIGIN A MYSTERY. FIFTEEN ' MILES OF FIRE REPORTED. (BY IELEORArU—SI'ECUI, COKRESPON'DKtT.) •— 'Hastings, January 21. Tliis morning the sun pfesonted tho appearance of a blood-red disc of 'flame as it forced its'light, through the heavy clouds of smoke 'swepping'pnst it on a steady, southwesterly breeze. At this, hour it was evident that heavy Vbiish of grass fires were in progress southwards, in the direction of Te - A.ij.te,-and as tlie haze, thickened, there was no doubt-that-the conflagration was of somo considerable magnitude,'.involving thousands of acres. '

At nine-o'clock the snioko in the streets was very thick, and objects at a distancp of about Jot) yards were rendered quite indistinct, whilst the ashes 'and smoke had /a trying effect on the. eyes, ; most people having' recourse to their handkerchiefs for protection. Ashes, too, were flying about- ill myriads of tiriy' white, specks, forming layers within ' the'.shops''''a'ritl h'ouses and causing much inconvenience up till noon. The.cause of the'firo was iinkn'owh,. and the district of its origin a matter .of the merest speculation,

As far .as could-,be.,: ascertained at »10 a.m. ' the fire started'oll the Takapau plains, and' was then, travelling fast., towards To Ante, but it is' generally.: acconted that' tlio - fire was in the Daiuieyirke "locality, and was running .north' in 1 front of a brisk wind. Travellers by the train'reported Waipnkiiran as filled, with .smoke, and ash strewn.' and-. AVaipawn in,a similar .condition, whilst the atmosphere.' all along the line was. painfully hot' and heavy. ' . •

, Nothing-tangible is to liaiul regnrding the .outbreak, but many wild rumours were afloat, at various ueriods; during the morning, all of which hapoil.v-.provcd to he untrue. < ' It is stated that tho lino of fire extended, nearly fifteen miles'from::To Ante to Wai- ; marama, and it is believed that the fire started on the" property .'of an Elsthorpe settler last night. - * - u .' Some 700 acres of grass was lmrnt at Gnssoge, but the fire .burnt itself out, and there are no further fires - reported from that district., '.; '.' ' ' (liv THi,i:cn.\wi—ritESS association.) , ■ Hastings, January 21." Stifling smoke brought by' tho, south-cast wind enveloped the Hastings district this -morning, indicating immense grass or bush fires in closo proximity. ' Telephonic communication which was obtained to outlying ".stations failed to locate the '.fire.- ' The. most reliable information is from Gwavas'(inlarid from Waip.iwa), stating 'that Ashley Clinton is on firo at the foot of tho hills. The south-cast wind at,1.0 a.m. veered to a boisterous south-wester,' probably saving a largo portion of; tho., northern Heretaunga .plains. \ , Great anxiety is felt at all homesteads.' . STIFLING SMOKE IN NAPIER. i , "'.'7 WIDESPREAD DAMAGE IN THE . - COUNTRY. - - HOMESTEADS'H'AND • SAWMILLS DESTROYED. (ill TEI.EGtUrII—SriiCIAI, CORItESrONDENT.) Napier, January 21. One of tho , most-remarkablo atmospheric changes, ever experienced in Napier occurred j this morning as tho result of tho bush fires, which wore raging in'- tho country districts. T'ho town, was enveloped in a murky . haze, and between 9 and .1(1 o'clock this was converted into a thick red glare. The heat was ■stilling, and the acrid smoke forccd'tears to tho eyes of pedestrians, who were seen in many instances .with handkerchiefs held closo to their eyes. . 1 At oiK! time it was- impossible to see more than a. few yards-ahead, and no idea could be formed as 'to'where'the country was being .devastated, various disquieting rumours being afloat. A strong south-west wind sprang up later in the .morning) and carried with it a sense of' coolness, 'but"the deadening haze continued throughout the day. Amongst tho sensational reports in town this morning was-one that the Pohui bush was on iire, and this has been proved to be correct. Tho fire originated in Boolcy's bush, and swept through a line, stretch of timber until it came into'.proxiinity to tho Fairburn Timber Company-'s : sawmill. Luckily, at this point, the wind changed, and tho flames veered round iii jthe opposite direction. A large portion, of tho bush has been destroyed, and tho ' mill is - not - yet out of danger. Tho wind may again change and sweep the'firo back.'

Advice from the country shows that bush fires are raging at present at Ngamoko, and tlw whole placo is enveloped in dense smoke. Two bridges on the Ngamoko road have been destroyed, 'as 'also have tho houses of .Messrs.. .Jack O'Hara, J.licale, A. Olsen, C. I'. Anderson, and I'. N. Colir. Mr. Uohr's sawmill, and tho Ngamoko Creamery aro expected to go at any minute. All tho. sawmills at -Jlakotulm aro sliut down, and between forty.and fifty men are thrown oiit of work: Parson's .Mill at Ngamoko lias succumbed to tho : flames, nothing being-saved. FURTHER DAMACE'AROUND TAIHAPE. DWELLING-HOUSES .DESTROYED. SMOKE AND SPARKS IN THE TOWN. (Bl' TELEOUAPH—SL'ECUr. COItItESrONr>F.NT.; Taihape, January 21. Ilaetihi advices to-night announce that a Native settler residing on the Farapara Road has lost his house,- everything being swept by the fire, and ho and his wife narrowly escaping." In one place in that vicinity it- is noted that 40 acres of green busli wore destroyed.. It is considered by some that the damage to grass alone outweighs tlie benefit gained by the clearance. \Most settlers along 'the inkldlo road had a narrow escape. The firo is so fierce in places that vehicles could not bo taken along' if. " A considerable amount of fencing has been lost, lint although homesteads and outbuildings took firo many times, they wore saved by strenuous efforts. One settler, seeing no>.hop's of escaping devastation, buried most- of his belongings in earth, and removed, with his children to a place of safety. , ' - Later. Tho fires have destroyed, the stables at Air. King's sawmill,; Oliakune. The other -buildings escaped. At Ilaetihi the roof of Jlr. Pike's farmhouse caught, but tho building was saved with difficulty. Another Ilaetihi settler had a narrow escape. Tho stock-yard caught fire, but luckily there was plenty of water, ami the fire was extinguished in the nick of time. Otherwise the barn and house must have gone. Mr. Bickerton's at Ilaetihi has been burnt to the ground. Nothing was saved, the losses including this season's wool-clip." Several smaller houses have been burnt-, and others were only saved with extreme difficulty. There is no grass for cattle, although a few days' raiu will j'cmedy this. Taihape this-'evening is surrounded by smoke, and it is difficult to distinguish the adjacent hills. Fires are quiet-around the sawmills, anil, as much undergrowth lnis been cleared, the position is safer.. The.day was very hot, but the evening is cooler. Settlors are viewing the shortage of feed with treoidatioa, Water

supplies arc low, ami rain is urgently neoded. > ' On t!io sections just outside the town several settlers are employing men to beat out sparks which threaten to lay waste, their homes if allowed to kindle in the long dry grass. _ _ . . SEVERAL BRIDGES BURNED. . (BV TEI.EGIUIMI—SPECIAI. COIIUESI'ONDE.VT.) • Wanganui, 1 January 21. Severe fire? are raging through tho Manawutu Gortre and the adjacent district. Severs' bridges have hern burnt, and it is believed that heavy'loss has taken place in Bnllanco. \ x , Tho fires, are low down on the Woodville side of itho rango, but (lie. wind is carrying them away from tho township. . THE NELSON OUTBREAK. : (ill' TBtEGRAriI—MtKSS ASSOCIATION.)' Nelson, January 21. . Bush and grass fires are still burning in all parts of tho', district. Another and more serious, outbreak is reported to hare occurred .to-day in the Whangapoka, and settlers are out defending j their homes and stock. No reliable reports of the damage.have yet come to hand; ' ■ ; > Tho fruit growers in the' Motueka and Takaka districts will be heavy losers by the drought, .'most of the crops—especially raspberries— being utterly "mined.