THE BUSH FIRES.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 126, 20 February 1908, Page 7

THE BUSH FIRES.

NORTHERN DISTRICTS SWEPT BY FIRE

WIDESPREAD DEVASTATION. , : CAMBRIDGE SANATORIUM ENDANGERED. (DT TELEGRAPH—PRESS ASSOCIATION.)' Auckland, February 19. From all over the country accounts are received regarding tho damage done by bush fires, and tho city is still in a haze of smoke. ■ Late last. night the matron of the Cam--bridge Sanatorium telegraphed for men to try and keep down a fire in tho Maungakawa Bush.. A number of tho Firo Brigade and other mon worked all night-, and succeeded ' in preventing the fire from spreading. A. number of tho dead rata, trees are still blazing, and if the wind changes if is probablo j . that the patients in tho Plunkct colony will liavo to be removed, as tho firo is getting near it. Tho Sanatorium men have been , ;' working day and night, and aro completely done up; Tho firo is said to bo the result of ~ a settler. some distanco away having • lighted scrub more than a week since. Tho matron has had an anxious time, and has been up superintending almost continuously. | ' In tho Northern Wairoa district several big swamps aro on fire, and miles and miles of bush country are burning. | Enormous areas of bush are blazing in tho 1 Hokianga, l Whangaroa, and Mangonui districts. In tho Kaipara district there aro many great bush fires, and on-Tuesday a six-roomed houso near Helensville, occupied by Mr. Rylands and family, was destroyed,' having caught firo- from'sparks carried .from tho burning bush. , ■ Tho bush fires in that locality have been raging for two weeks, and a few days ago another, settler's "homo■ was destroyed. A largo' quantity of valuable puriri -arid other timber, and miles of fencing, have been . burned on Messrs. Stoke!s,, Bradly's, and other settlers'. properties.' Settlers in _ tho neighbourhood aro. having an anxious timo,, and watching every change in tho direction-' of tho.-wind. : The Waitere Valley bush in tho ■ Waihi' district, containing' millions of feet of valu-. able timber, has been blazing since the end-' of last week, and tho Mataura Valley bush' is also on fire. The Waihi and Thames districts are under heavy smoke. . . . At ; Waitawhet-a 1 the-.well-known .kauri-forest;-owned by the Government, is on firo for miles, and the dense smoko and fierce heat forbid approach within a milo: of the 'flames. - : , - ... A .wire'-'from Pukekolie states that Marsden's Bubli at Mauku, tho Zingari. Bush at Puni, and several swamps in the same vicinity, are on fire. . . . • . RAETIHI.'S DESPERATE PLICKT., ' RESIDENTS : UP ALL NIGHT. ■ , '-' TOWNSHIP STILL IN DANGER. (by telegraph—special . cobbesfonsent.) 1 Raetihi, February 19. 1 The heavy .south-easterly wind springing;! '. .up'yesterday caused fresh outbreaks of fire*" on the" Ohura'Road. Fire-swept across tbVcorner of Mr.; Frazer's property, oil to.Messrs Dickso'n'si-Berry's, and Vening's land. Mr. Dickson'"lost Vhis ! dwelling,' but tho- Berrys. saved theirs'through.the .united exertions of' friends and, neighbours: Danger is not ycV over. ■■■•/.: In the Oliotir Block Mr. Stamej'V 'Wright lost his dwelling and contents. . ■ Tho fires are very bad oil tho Ohakuno 'i ,Raetihi]Rpad at Fetaer's. Thcro was an out break also down the Parftpara Road ileal • Batsman's last -night. . i . ' Between 1 and 2 'a.m. firo broke out in the' timber reserve south of tho township, and in spite of great efforts soon assumed alarming proportions..; Almost all llaotihi was awake • at 8' a.m.,'.'and.'those not fighting the flames'; .were' ! p'aclang"!.up.; : ';' i . residonts;turn6dybiit almost to a" 'irikiiPiim kept up- a heroic'ffight all day. The, fire has been- working'"steadily through the' : bush in the direction of tho'mill and Messrs.! Benriott's, Punch's; arid' King's houses., All I valiiaWo ' timber and 1 machinery have beeni removed from, tho .mill, as the firo could nofcj bo stopped' in this' direction owing;' to tho{ 'wind.i - The townspeople directed their towards keeping the fire from spreading in/ the dry logs' towards tho" township. ■ DeadJ trees along. the fighting lino were blown.upf jwith'gelignite. Even the wornon turned oui.' to help.;. Others'.dug holes in which to save .; goods. Had it'not been for this valianU' . ■ fight' it is : almost; a certainty that 'would.' have been 'wiped out. ' • ;

i If tho wind keeps ill its present quarter, ' and drives the (ire .into ,t-ho • bilsli, the posii . tion 1 of ltaetihi will be much inoro secure- ; ' .than; hitherto. Had tho . fire got into the 1 1 jtimber reserve Tfhen a.soutli .wind was blows' Sing, ho amount of-fighting could have saved' I the itown from ' the' fire's resistless, sweep.; •, V The houses of Messrs. Punch, Bennett, and ' 1 King are in the linoof fire,' but as a deter-. , mined! fight will be kept up ; they - may , bo., ~ \ I'.stivod.- V: ' ' - : -*' •' [ (BY TEMGKAI'n.—PnESS ASSOCIATION.); : , ■ ■ Talhape, February 19. _ . Strong, winds , have freshened tho, fires in I tho .Waimarino...V ".The--Autoes have seized ; : hold of the Government' timber, reserve round. v Raetihi, necessitating all the residents turn- ; V ing' out. ■ Bucket' brigades have : been • formed, and . i' 'so far the.ifire has been held:in check. ;i : ; .The situation, however, is alarming l , as ;■! f the town is practicallythreatened- if; the. , wind .becomes stronger; '. -\ THE TARANAKI FIRES. ■ EGMONT ROAD SAWMILL DESTROYED. MANY' OTHER LOSSES. : . I (BY TBI,EGIIAra—PRESS ASSOCIATION-) . . . I New Plymouth, February 19. ! It is very difficult to get authentic and' 1 exact as to the damage; done' i bv the, bush'fires. . v.- ' ' . ; 1 . .'".Tho .Sash,-.and- Door Company s; sawmill. on ■ the Eemont Road was destroyed,''the loss • / being "estimated at i £3000. .; The insurances are small. . ■ ■ 1 A settler, named Shoemark. on flic same . road, lost all his effects, which had been re-: ~ moved from the house. . It is not. certain . whether the house was destroyed. His fam'ily was brought to town-last, night, j , 'in the coaslal districts the,.position ia . Serious'. : It is thought! impossible-to save the 'Nowall' Road''school.'•>-.v. .v :^; ', n A four-roomed house on the Kahm Road, owned bv Mr.. Hemingway, was destroyed last- niglit.' l : Tho'.effects were saved. Other families were sent to Rahotu,:,but. it is un- ■ known whether-their houses escaped. Several families were brought into Pnniho last night also, but it is unknown-whether tho homes'' wore- destroyed.; I '-The':'situation . ■ improved. a . little' this morning. _ , ■ . _ •■Milking proceeded, as usual: this morning ■ on several farms where last night the danger was. great. ■ The Warca schoolchildren were, unable to ■; go homo last night. , '. , is impossible at'present to ascertain tho. extent of tho damage.' Probably the worst , fears will not be realised, though .it will bo. a very anxious .time until rain comes. ■. In ..'the northern district,, towards Mokau the'country-is full of fire and smoke; hut. there is no definite information as to seri- . ous results. . " ; - - - A RACE FOR LIFE. ' SAWMILL HANDS' TRYING EXPERI- :/ ENCES. . THE TARANAKI LOSSES. - (BT TEIiECUIAPn—SPECIAI. . COHHtSPONDKOT.) ' " 1 . ' New Plymouth, February 19. Tho - mountain gale that blew over North Taranaki yesterday and the thick pall of smoko that was spread over New Plymouth and tho surrounding country gave riso to j fears that, tho bush fires were gaining way ' and doing serious damage in the countrv. A reporter left town early this morning for the purpose of obtaining authentic in formation regarding tho fires, and it was dis- ■ covered 'that tho Egmont; Road sawmill had Jjeen destroyed on Tuesday evening, all efforts

to savo it being unavailing. All that remains of tho sawmill'is the engine and boiler . .. and/two small stacks of timber. Many thou- • sand feet of timber have'beon destroyed, and also 'the sheds, .tramlines,, bridges, etc,' " Tho men had an exciting'experience: yesterday. They .wore ; engaged .at the sawmill as usual in tlie, morning, . Tliere was very littlo \'j..' smoke thou,v but towards midday the-south 7 • T „. -eastorrgraduallv.'came'.upj'and as tho after-, noon woro on the smoke increased ill density, and tho worst fears,were soo'n.realised, for.it ; . was discovered that tho firo was. being carried along rswiftly; and! was sweeping almost everything' before ! it. The men stayed on as ■ long as. possible; and did what thoy. could to - : prevent the flames, which were now leaping : . ■ across the clearings, from reaching the mill. •It was apparent,, however, that 1 could-be done in this .direction, and. in order to , savo their :clothes and. other. belongings ■ they hurriedly covered, thorn with' earth, /and then had to race for their lives down'tho. road. 1 On . the way they had to contend with fierce fires on either . sido, and. the heat was .-almost. unbearable, and -at tinies ,the ;inen r ' had..even to leap.,through the which ; we're.-shooting 'their path.';.. ; Higher up the road tho country, or what ■ littlo could bo seen: of it; presented ,a/terrible, . appearance.-. ..Hundreds ..of logs were still ' smouldering, and from,clumps'"'of bush in- all directions;,huge '.flamos suddonly. shot forth. ■■■■■■. The sinobe was almost suffocating and tho hoat was intense. Clustered hero .arid there along tho" road were cattle, apparently afraid to move in either: direction, and showing signs of 'the hardships they had endured dur-, : ing .the. last, twenty-four•; hours. t "; .■ So .far as the .firo'.itself ?is concerned there .' ; has. been' 1 nothing, to'equal , ii : for, the last v,.', , : twenty years. Witlr'the increasing, wind the: ; flames spread with,; remarkable rapidity; and :V it 'was; not;long before .tho country presented • the appearanco of a lingo-furnace. • - " The- school.' children;df, the district'had been. : holding, their.'anhual_picnic, -and'so. suddenly - did - the fire sweep. down that many", of, them were": cut .off ..from thoir homes and were ..com-, polled to seek ,'shelter; for. the, night; with, neighbours. ;V ..: _■/ The\mariagerof the; Mahgorci Dairy Fac- • tory Company's Lopper- Jload Creamery had a hard, fight with the flames. *; Whilst endea-:, voiiring to keep.:th6. fire. from. tho. creamory: ■imd .residence ho was overcome: by..smoko,: [. ; and- medical -:aiid; liad _:to be summoned , frony . : .' Inglowood -'this '^morning.' : '!-The' ■ man; is; in a fJ-v.v '..critical'.condition..'-- Tho; creamery, iris closed ': this .morning.' suppliers having '.to;, take, their. . : milk to' the'-.Egmnnt'. Village;'or6amery. i ■ A fivo-roomed houso, owned and by Mr. W. Shoemark, was completely do- " stroved, with nearly all tho'furnituro and the • ■ cowsheds,- t'ransheds, : ' harness,, and .a .crop; of. : 'cats.pln addition, to his,;wife; arid five.- chil;dreri';' Miv Shoemark had - a neighbour's wife' ; and three' children staying.'pn holiday at:his * : place,' 'and two-;littie mites';left' thero .fqr the; dov by;their' parents, who had taken a sick 'I: child to the doctor at Inglewood. i: The party', liad "an ,intensely ; trying;time.; : : The insur-' i;. anees on the biiildino; were £100, in tho State : Office ;and £100 in the, Eolith British, and. oh ; ;. i the furnituro,;-iSSO 'iii.'the'.State;Office., ■■ ; . ; 'vTHfe: district' around Toko seams' to have ■ fiuifered : little* or no - damage...during, the last day or two. v ; H It is understood that the fires; during; last' ■ > 1 .week destroyed twelve, mouths!.,;cutting;., at'. j . Aw Not PlvmmitVSasH 'and Door Company's 'V ' Toko mill, and it was feared further damage'. ■V. .' would result -if : the. wind:increased..,;; ' ; ; • ■ . There' ; are urisatisfaptory' 'reports- . from; , . Koru, ; Oakura, . arid, Iriglewo'od; but no :details are to hand yet. ' ■■ ' i

"A SEA OF^FLAME." . CHILDREN'S . PERILOUS • POSITION. • , ■ - ■ ■ ■• Later. • . : Inglewood ■ reports ■ state., that' the whole • country around Tariki ( is :a sea : of. flanib. .'. A house, on Mr.. Grant's farm near ,-In- 1 glewood, ocouoied by a ' tenant, was • de- ' stroyed withall 'the.,contents,''it.',being, found: ■: impossible! to save a . stick .'qf,; furniture..,; Brown's' tramline, leading to the mill' at. In-'; glewood ; suffered;,,/materially,and smaller", ,' bridges were burned:-. ; • f. At Egmont. Road two little children named : L Swan,were in peril on Tuesday. They-were. sent-out. for. the cows, and 'the' fire' cut . them J off. fromrhome../- They. attfcempted :'a 1 detour, £ through Mr. Peters's farin adjoining toVavoid .the. flames; wheni tliey '.w'ere' r-again. surrounded.^,.Mr; Peters was,at the moment en- . gaged in hurriedly mustering'his. cows to escape the fire' wheh/vhe.' h'appenedVon ,the'. : two youngsters'," frightened and failing, and blinded with smol{e. One had collapsed and '.tho"other^stood'over.him crying. and helpless. '. Mr..Peters picked them up and managed to get clear. ■ LOSSES AT RAHOTU. The ; " Daily News" . correspondent -at Rahotu-wjred late-to-night fliat thc fire on. the'Kahui Road on Tuesday was very/bad. A house owned R-' W." Hemmiiigway was .completely ' destroyed. . It' c was l insured ■ with the New ■ Zealand' Insurance -Company ; for/£9O. With extreme, difficulty the Opur.ake. Sa.vmilling Company's .mill l was sare'd.' A large bridge and-several'cliains 'of trainway' were -. completely' destroyed The • fire-, wood in the mill yard . was biiraed, but. ing lielp ..was /responsible .for' saving the ' mill.;'-' ;V 7 ■ /'''" '' 'V ■'./ ■ - -A■'■'fowl-;K'oiss>belonging" to' Mr. 'Morgan was biirried,: but the ' house, which .caught- - fire,; was. saved. }So senous : was the position that women and children were. taken ■■ away in a wagon, which had' great difficulty. 'in getting through the fire. . >■ A strong is blowing, and it;, is likely! that still further, damage .will be done, tonight. The place is so thickly .enveloped in smoke thafeit is , almost impossible -.to - see' ■ ■ across the road at Rahotu./ AROUND WOODVILLE. ' (by TELEGRAPH—PItESS 'ASSOCIATION.) ' Wootlville, February 19. Bush-fires started up again yesterday owing to a fresh wind blowing from the; south. Last,night.the Gorge hills were.a fine sight, being ablaze for miles along : the top. A" fierce fire is raging in ,the bit of bush . near the, freezing .-works, -but* no danger is anticipated. ... ; This morning, the smoke, has cleared from ■ the , town, and the fires have apparently burned out. ' ', HOMESTEAD DESTROYED. ' - (FKO3I OUK;, SPECIAL COKRESrONDENTO • Levin, February 19. •... Last . night' was -a sleepless' ono for ..many of the. settlers in the, south-eastern-portion of, this district, ■ 'especially..' out-back from Manakau and up the Ohaii River: , The bush and . grass' fires, fanned by a southerly , wind, had assumed .a very serious aspect, and many acres of good gras3 arid bush were destroyed. Messrs. .A. and W. J.' Dean, who' own .ft-property, up tho Ohau. River, were .-out nearly all night beating back thb flames on ; part of. their, farm, ; when it was discovered, that their house was on fire,, and despite all efforts to extinguish the flames everything " was destroyed except a little furniture. The ■-house was insured for £150, : and the furni-1 we for £75 in the State Fire Office. ■ OUTBREAKS AROUND'OTAKI. . . (PKOit' "OCE .SPECIAL .CORRESPONDENT.) ...'.. ; Otaki, February .19. - Fires of a serious nature commenced in the district yesterday, and from- Oliau and . Paraparauinu the coast,was a,dense mass.of smoke. To-day the smoko has cleared some- . what, but considerable damage has been done to many settlers, and several are practically" 'ruined. Fences have been levelled wholesale, but the reports, as to burnt dwellings, etc., are much exaggerated. Soveral people had occasion to remove'.their furniture and battlo against the flames, and in ono'or two instances sheds were demolished, stock burnt and acres of grass completely swept away, The Reikorangi. settlors suffered, most, and hero bridges were •'burnt,' stacks, stock, and fcnces . destroyed, , and " several ,of ' tho . school, children '.vero obliged to . seek . shelter for. the 'night' in;, the .'school. / Holes .ware also dug, and household goods; buried for safety. Mr". Monk, while returning from Otaki, was unable, to get to his home owing to the dense smoke, and for a time was cornspelled to lie down to avoid suffocation. All through Paraparaumu and : south of the Waikanae River the fire did:great.damage. : The wind, is springing up again, which mil doubtless cause further loss. A report from Reikorangi this, afternoon states that the cottiers are still vigorously combating- the flames- • • '•