THE BUSH FIRES.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 118, 11 February 1908, Page 8

THE BUSH FIRES.

fresh Outbreaks in wairarapa. (dv telegram—special correspondent.) Masterton, February. 10. Tho hush.and grass fires havo been given another lease of lifo by the warm'sunshine and tho breezy'weather. Mr. J. Grant's haystack at Gladstone was destroyed 011 Saturday, and Mr. Steele's house had a narrow escape. At Opaki yostorday tho fire destroyed flax fibro valued at £150, and owned by Messrs. Rod and Thompson. At Matabiwi tho smouldering embers of the recent bush fire wero fanned to a blaze towards' the'f'liow homestead. Tho sheep were being mustorcd, when, fortunately, the wind died'away. In Wrigley's bush, near town, an. incipient blazo was suppressed; beforo it had' a great headway. Shortly' beforo noon to-dav Mr. A. Mutrie's'threshing mill was' totally destroyed by lire/ supposed to'havo' been caused by a spark from a portable engine. Tho loss, amountiiig,to,'£2oo, is said to be covered by insurance. SAWMILL DESTROYED. (by TKi.EGEirn—srrciit, coußEsroNcrsT.) I Taihape, February 10. "A report just received states that Messrs. Beban and Gardiner's mill, two miles outside Taihape, has been destroyed by bush fires. This milhis just ijbout cut out, and it was expected that tho plant would be shifted shortly, "' . ' ! IN • THE TAIHAI'E DISTRICT. (HI yBI.EOBArff-fsreCU.li CORRESPONDENT.) Taihape, February 10. The continuance • of tho dry weather and tho fair steady breezooosf s Saturday night and Sunday stirred the slumbering fires on tho bush sections- across tho railway line, adjacent to the'town, and caused considerable uneasiness. . ' ■ ' At Utiku lait night a largo bush firo was raging in tho vicinity of Messrs. Perham and iLarsen'a mill. Though evory effort was made to keep tho firo iij check, tho high wind carried tho flames over the hill'and down tho slope to, within a few chains of. tho mill, destroying bver forty chains of tramway and five >and fences. On Sunday night tho spectaclo was grand in tho extreme. riie extent of land cleared by the fire, and now available for grass, is expected to •more than p'pmpensato tlio firm for tho outlay in* replacing tho-tramway and bridges destroyed..:;'.- 1 : ' ■ * There, is a water'famine'in the town and • environments." ' No further .damage was reported, to-day, but the town is filled with pungent jSmoko. "/ 1• , Tnii APITI FIRES. ■ "' (by TBl,EOli.iPH—special, cobbkspokdbkt.) V Palmcrston North,, February 10. received this afternobji show tho fact that, tlio strong wind to-day has freshened -up the fires in tho back country around Apiti.-'and Rangiwahia. Settlers are having .an anxious tinio guarding their properties. The damage'dono during the last week is ;estimatedi at thousands of pounds. . :On the Ruahino ranges", opposito the : Pohangina Valley; a fire is. consuming a considerable area of-bush country. ;

LOSSES IN TARANAKI. ' <: SEVERAL - HOUSES ' DESTROYED... \ (BY TEI.EGRAPII —PRESS .ASSOCIATION.) i' ■ New Plymouth, February 10..Bush fires,hare broken out along the, const west of Mount Egmont. . ' ' • A house on the Rahni road was destroyed on Sunday,'' and several I others aro having •'an anxious time, .but the local rain this morning .was timely. , , -. A- lady 'and children driving through the bush road liad a trying tuno,-..'being overtaken by firej the children's hats and parcels in the trap being burnt beforo ; . assistance arrived. ' ' *■"■'■■ ■^At., Awatiina, south of the mountain'; .'several 'places have been burnt down, including, a large dwelling. A sawmill had a ■ harrow escape, although a quantity of timber was destroyed. •• . .

ASSISTANCE FOR THE SETTLERS. (BT . TE!.EGItAFH—SPECIAL COttRESPOUDEKT^j , Palriiersten North, February 10. , During the interval between the arrival -.and departure of ,the .North express train to-day; tKq.';Hpn. ,R. M'Nab was interviewed by Mr. R. Hornblow, of Mangawiha, who had made, a special visit to seek help, on behalf of the settlers, whose properties "were swept by fire in', the Apiti, and Rangiwahia "districts. . Mr.-Hornblow pointed-.out to tlio, .Minister that .an of fully .thirty miles, 'extendirig-'l right back' from the .'.Pobaneina Itivcr, had been devastated by-fire, and.as a result some.of the settlers had lost heavily, i Tho .'Miiiistp'r., riiade several inquiries, .and promised4that -any applications for assistance would receive, favourable .consideration, and that . seed would be provided > for 1 tho settlers.,v , • • . , . V