THE BUSH FIRES.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 131, 26 February 1908, Page 9

THE BUSH FIRES.

STILL, ACTIVE IN AUCKLAND - 1 DISTRICT. SERIOUS LOSSES! GOLD MINING PROPERTY IN DANGER • I-; ? -~ Auckland, February.2s.. ■-.■ . The -fire fiend is stiU. aot.ivc iiv somo country districts,'and reports damage . oomo.-.to hand.from To Aroha, Matamata, andPokcno. Swamp : firesv have-dono, much damage to • ; tho grass: arid of, the, Huiiga--- - liunga: Swamp,:-, and .in places, it has boon' iburnoddowntotho clay, sub-soil.. • . At JPokeno/raluablo.flax swamps have been devastated < ' . ■ From •Matftmata, .its. reported .tho. outbreak of a serious, bush firo on tho Okhria Clearing,, destroyod a. four-roomed cottage,- tho property, of Mr. F. Blackman; and: 11 number: :of;. sheep .and-cattle.-The Waitokaun Gold Mining Company-had- „ a narrow,' escape rrith -part of : its plant, - tho tramway bridges 'and the hoppers at tho •head of the nonal tramway,only, being-,saved ■with considerable, difficulty.-v The 'shortage-'of •/watotf task : 'bf.fighting.-'tho.\firo' a. difficult otio.

( ■ j , IN- -THE t SUBURBS. Tho bush firos m-the ,vicinity, ofDay's Bay were.vgmng., lio; anxiety; yesterday,'"and half the number of men,.engaged .there .were sent • back 'toUotfn. 1 Apprehensions of a recrudes- ; :ence are alio 5 allayed at KBjn'dallah. and tVadestown.

THE BREAK.M-.THE WEATHER.

(BT. TEIiEGIIAI'H~rSI'£CIAIi^COiniESI , ONDENT ,,< , vPahiatua, February 25. ..' Slight, showers fell during''the- afternoon,: . itid the . : outlook^ 1 seems:/favourable': for . rain. . 'wn; FeHfllngj 'Februair :25. " ;■ r'This -for about.. .four : hours, -a; district, fillingjtbß tanks; refreshing thb v 'soil; ; arid promise of,better things in storo for '.farmer thanwas ' believed • possible ia few, daysi igb;-.' :: The 'weather;-is still comfort-' ;V -ably warm, and if tho present stato of affairs. continues-'all/the prognostications qf disaster ; '•, for th<s< winter, jyjll ,ha\;o .to be considerably y disbounte4>.'-v'i"'tCV-.V''^ , ffev;.Plymouth, February' 24. . Refitshing.Bhowe.rs fell over practically the ; ■>wMe'ofr and the:danger .! from -.bush .fires practically- extinguished. ! Snch has been :tlio:dur3tion-of tho dry spoil,-- • • however, l that the country can .do.-with much •*. 'more ram;-jßam-is : pot vpry. Welcome in iNcwi . Plymouth; where it is not favourablo-t-o the v. l'. : ,nd. contest; it having.iboonvarranged-, tnat- : jto bo,playod-in tho'open'air i ■: in f-.tho: magnificent new ■ recreation - ! sports ground;.. A. rough; estimate made, by settlors i _ ?ted onitholEgmont.and Kent • f - .vans that from three to-five -tons.of-igrass i be-..needed 1 , ..to-., re-establish, . the i i destroyed by tho, bush firc3 ilast .. ifulty,appreciate tho'prompt-: •• j noss',i->t the-Government relief' proposals: and- -• they.'fii.o availed .of: to-a 'largooxtcnt. in- The weathor shaving . boen; warm lately, it u - sxpocted-the .country ..Will.soon regain its lost verdure:

> Palmers ton North, February 25. ''Welcome rain,fell here early this morning. ■.- •-v w-. .-Shannon, February* 25: -• Rain ;-fcll;:iCarly > r this-. moniuig, rand...tho weather continues-dull .and threatening. •/ - .vv- WoBdvIll0j: February;-25.; Welcome-, rain.'is' i fnllfng-"hferdi: and».thdJ in-• > iications- are 'that the drought has broken,up: r fl >. t ,J i ; /& o% , Fcbr^a^2s'- o fraduaflyritho.-fires;, aro.burning-, themselves anv the district-,, and-tho weathor: occa- ; becomes overcast and-.rain seems, pro-. - i^tT.oy e iiiiig- a.f drops, f'efl/V . '(.V j; \ Carterton, Fobruary 251 ,'i.i .e. n there "have. been - repeated mdica--h'-.z raw,-none-has'so far fallen in the .V ,