SAVING WILTON'S BUSH.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 124, 18 February 1908, Page 8

SAVING WILTON'S BUSH.

Wilton's'Busli, a scenic resort noar Wadestown, had a nafrow escape on Saturday. The Under-Secretary", for Lands instructed the Commissioner/. (Mr; J. ,'Strauchon), who had learned that'an .outbreak had occurred at the edge of'the bush, to omplo'ymen to suppress, the'fire,, arid after fighting'hard for sevbral' hours they were successful in their work. A.;'sharp; look-out, however,'is still being maintained. ■, -iv-:., ' v ■ ■' . TARANAKI FIRES ABATING. (BY TELEGRAPH—SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.) 1 ;V ;i N.pw' piymouth, February 17. The bush fires 1 are abating. , Summed up, the damage is 'not as sevoro as was at,ono time anticipated, and is confined to ono or two localities. 'Feod, however, was getting scarce bofore.'the fires came, and some farmers will, feel this' soverely. As tho season advances' copious rains usually follow a big burn,, but that has not happened'this year. Tho damago, etq,, m most cases, however, will bo compensated for next year, owing to the clcaranco of'logs and stumps efFcctcd. ■ i ; . ■ ■ ,

CAUGHT BY -FIRE. ' (BV * TELEGRAPH—PRESS. ASSOCIATION.) Auckland, February 17. ; If the full story of the bush fires were available > .there is, no doubt that many a country.-jSqttler could tell stirring tales of risks run in trying to stay, tho progress of the flames.-. That . there are risks is shdwn by the experience of Messrs. Sinclair and W. Duncan a day or two ago at Drur,y. They had gone out "from, the Drury coalmino for the purpose of seeing about laying down a water pipe, , and'had gone some distance up a creek.- .Mr.* Duncan remarked to his , companion that'they must take care not to bo caught by a fire, that was burning on ono of the liill sides; By and by they discovered that the James: had completely , hemmed thom inl Tlieir danger was also noticed by others, and .a jescue party was sent out, but the two gentlemen. by crawling down tho creek managed to get out: of the, fire zone. • . THE SHANDALLAH FIRE. : Yesterday the bush fire at Khandallah. burned its f way . into the Domain' reserve,, but, the wind .; dropping, littlo apprehension was felt.. Nevertheless,' it needs but a change of the wind to. the north-west, to renew tho anxiety of , those'whose'Houses arc abutting on the Domain. At i present only old trees are burning, ' and it will probably be some days before the. bush ; ip free from, fire.- On Sunday night , arid yesterday a squad of the Permanent Artiljery remained on guard, but 1 .their services were not required. At present the Domain is little damaged, and tho catchment area has not suffered irreparably. - -The change of wind yesterday drove •the, pall pf;:smoke. away from tho town, and opened up', a-view-, of the fire-swept hills. '