BUSH FIRES.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1051, 14 February 1911, Page 5

BUSH FIRES.

PAGING"iN MANY ,PLACES, | ai JEUNG TIME FOE SETTLERS. (By Telegraph.—Special Correspondent J • * . Auckland, February 13. , Btish fires are burning:in many parts . of Auckland province, and the country ' generally is enveloped in a haze of smoke. So pronounced is the smoke cloud that .vessels yesterday found difficulty in ? pick- - ing up the coast. A heavy pall of smoko from a big fire on the Waitakerei : Ranges hung over the city all day yesfcer- • day and to-day, and it was impossible at times to see , across the harbour. So far - • no .reports have been received of the extent of damage, the fires'being* mainly j : confined to felled bush. -Bush fires are raging all.over Te Kuiti, and the town i 9 > enveloped in smoke. Reports from the Marakope and Paraheke- district state that fires are running through old burns and have caused a - great shortage of grass. . In the ; latter / place the settlers and their wives had a, trying timfc> and? some of them had to seek safety from fire and smoke. A number, had to stand by to •• I .their homes from being destroy- .- ed. Iso damage to stock or settlers'-homes--113 .reported. The, dry. spell of ; January • ! and February to date is bringing down '• j the dairy factory, returns.: : DAMAGE IN TARANAKI. • /. r HOMES BURNED. v ..(By Telearaph—Press-:'Association l ' ■■■...? New Plymouth,' February 13. * Bush fires in the Okato district • terday; did much damage, sweeping over ' a large area. , .. .. ' • • E. lobke, a settler on the Oxford Road, lost his house and farm buildings, which were insured for v6IOO in the South Bri- • tish. _ : . , ... '.r Mrs.'Larkins lost her. ; house and its - contents. - The latter was insured in thi South, British, for .£SO. ■ . . Frank Sole lost his home, but is believed to have been insured in the State omce. ' -/ - •: .. • , F . rc<l Cowling lost his hou?e and conare ,£IOO in th« v South British. .. • - < -s . - over..Stony River," ba Satriders s.Road, was partly.destroyed. . . mi , , . Later. .•' ine bush; fires which . rased during ounday are now less threatening. .. /■■ : _Gr<?:it d.image hasboon (lono iii the. 5 Vdistrict between Opunakp. and New Ply- 1 mouth. Hundreds of acres of buSh iiid" of grass have been destroyed, also severed • farmhouses, .miles .of^fcncing,. ' milking- " ; sheds, and - machines: There have been severar narrow escapes." ' ; The loss of; grass" is a most",: serious.. Blatter, and some of the farmers must sell every head of cattle, for. hardly .r • blade of .grass is left; i ; . ■ ; r ' (By ..Telegraph—Press ; Asßociation.l ' . Hamilton, February 13. ■ • Although ires have baen round • the dis ■ .= trict for some days, to-night they appeal; particularly: virulent. iThe town is/hem'-' ■'•H"'. med in: with. smoke,' wbich covers it ; as- a -?4 pall. : The long drought' has createdr;a \:j sense of uneasiness.-'Although it' is'un-' likely there will be any'da ager, the outskirts are badly oft for water; and a fall . in the inilk returns 'consequent 6a little •' grass is probable