BUSH FIRES. STATE AID.

Evening Post, Volume LXXV, Issue 46, 24 February 1908, Page 2

BUSH FIRES. STATE AID.

I ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE PREMIER. [B- T^LEORArn. — PHK33 ASSOCIATION.] AUCKLAND, 23rd February. Tho Prime Minister has made the following important statement for general publication : — "In connection with the disaster by fire to many settlers, which I regard as a national calamity, the- Government will supply grass to all those who have suffered, whether they bo Crown bettiers or those who occupy their own freehold or leasehold lands. As prompitudo is absolutely necessary to enable those who have suffered to sow other grass seed, ifc will bo supplied to all settlers affected on application being made by them. Tho grass seed will be supplied at cost price and fiee from interest for a period up to four years. This will enable all necessitous cases to be dealt with upon very cany terms. In cases where it can bo shown that settlers are absol itely ruined or are unable to pay, ths Government will consider each case upon its merits a3 to whether the grass sod should be sxipplied free. "I am quite certain that tho majority of our settlers would prefer to have the opportunity of recovering their positions in this way, and, as 1 say, all cases of exceptional hardship, where tho settlers themselves are burned out of houses and home 3 and ruined, will be considered upon their merits. In addition, instructions have been given to' the Railway Department to carry, free of charge, all material, whether for building purposes or for fencing, to those who havo lost their homes, outhouses, or fences. Further, wherever | Crown lands are available, and are notunder leas© to tenants, those suffering will bo allowed to turn \their stock upon such lands free ' of charge. "In the cass of those who are not settlers, such as those working upon roads, who may havo lost their homes, their huts, tools, or belongings, the Government will convey all material and j tools free to them by rail, and in absolutely necessitous cascjs. will consider their position upon full details being furnished by them. Officers of tho Lands Department have been instructed to bupply reports of loss in each case to the Minister for Lands, as was done in the cosa of ilood damage. This ia necassary, as, of course, the Government, in the interests of the country as a, whole, must protect itself from impositions that sometimes in cases of the kind do arise. Arrangements for inspection of farms will be made . immediately upon application by those affected to the Land Board. The Governmont recognises that tho matter is one calling for practical assistance, and desires to help in every way possible. "I desire to express the hope that ihu holders of gross soed, while naturally securing a fair profit, should not ill; this juncture, which is a calamitous one to many of their best customers, unduly raise tho price of grass seed. It is tho fear of that possibility that has decided the Government to supply the grass seed to the farmers at cost price for a period of years free of interest. If the Government were to come into the market by becoming the immediate purchasers of large quantities of grass seed, it^ is not unnatural to suppose thnt the price would go beyond what might fairly bo regarded as a reasonable one. J feel sure holders of grass seed will not regard this suggestion othdr than one. made in the best interests of thces who are unfortunately sufferers, and' with a desire to seek their co-operation in hslping to meet a dire calamity to those immediately affected. I sincerely trust they will accept the advice in the spirit iv which it is rendered to them. - - "J. G. WAKD." ' GUARDING AGAINST DANGER. [By Telegraph. — Special to The Post.'J i TAIHAPE, This Day. A meeting was held at Raetihi to consider the.beht method of dealing with the danger from bush fires. The advisability of purchasing a fire engine was left open, but it wa3 -decided to pi'b men on to fell dead trees and keep a Aratch on outbreaks of fire.' The question of sinking wolls in different parts of the township was discussed, and subbcriptions amounting to £25 were taken up in the loom, and a committee was formed to expend it to the best advantage. DAMAGE IN THE PIAKO SWAMP. MORE GOOD THAN HARM. ■ [By Tel^geafii. — Special to The Post.] AUCKLAND, This Day. The fires burning on tho Piako lands for several days have now been completely extinguished. Though considerable damage has been done, it is fortunately not as large as was at first anticipated. In the opinion of these who are m a position to know so far as the Government land is concerned, tho fire has done more good than harm. It is considered that a clean burn and the fact that there is a nice deposit of ashes of a depth of about nine inches will do good to tho soil, which is now practically ready for sowing in grass or flax. In* communicating some of tho above facts to tho Under-Secretary of Lands, Mr. Breakell states that this year's revenue may be affected slightly, but that had tho fire occurred next year when 'the drainage had progressed, tho damage wpuld have been considerable, as tho^round would probably havo been burnt to a much greater dep(h. All things considered, the damage done by tho fire may be considered comparatively small. BETTER OUTLOOK I>J TARAXAKI. [BT TELEGRAPH. — I'EESS ASSOCIATION.} NEW PLYMOUIH, This Day. . The situation with regard to the bush tires is much easier. ALONG THE MANAWATU LINE SOME DETAILS "OP lEE DAMAGE. The fires up the Monawatu line aro continuing, though it is thought they will boon dio out if tho wind lemains unchanged. Mt. W. H. Field, M.P., when seen by a Post ieporter to-day stilted that perhaps the most heavy losers lately were Messrs. Elder, Hadfip.ld, Kelnon, nnd Donovan. These settleis had nil lost heavily in stock. In tho neighbourhood of Paraparaumu about 2000 acres or jiruss had been burnt. Mr. Owen's house had a narrow escape. All the outbuildings were burnt, and it was only the tirelebs eftorts of the residonts that saved the* huuss. Mr. Donouin's house also had a narrow escape. It lud caught alight five times. Mr. Donovan, besides losing a number of valuablo stock, Io&t a stack of timber which was to have been used for building purposes. Mcssis. Hooper, Monk, and Birrling have recently had largo areas swept by grass fires. Mr. Field's Rikiorangi property has escaped up to tho present, but it is thought that if the wind changes the fir<? -\iill sweep through it, also. On his Waikaaiao pioperiy a piece of veiy valuable bush lias been destroyed, together with a hr^u oichnrd nml plantation of Enyli-h trots. Messrs. Hira Pa raid. EUter, ItiM liiown have also Iqs-t some tine sLi etches of flax swamo and buab.

I The iis-h from the fires has killed lnrjiG nunibeis.of iisli in tho livers. Mr Field recently saw hundreds in one spot in the Waikanae. A meeting of Rikioranjii settlers yijr held on Saturday evening, Mr. Monk presiding. It v'as icsolved to .\f-lc the (Government for n-saisl'inco in the matter of procuring grass, scod. Mr. Field, tho member for the dii-trict, was supplied with an account of tho losses, for transmission to the Minister for Lands. The residents of this dibtrict are mostly Crown tenants under the lease-in-per-pctuity tenure, and are paying heavy rentals. PRICE OF SE*ED. Enquiries madb from firms dealing in grans seed show that the- price now rulingis high, both for rye and cocksioot. One film stated that it could not get good rye last week under 5s to 5s 6d per bushel, an -advance of 2s per bushel on ordinary rates. The Canterbury and Southland crops were not sufficient to supply the demand this season. High prices also ruled on the London market, 'ihcro had boon a. shortage in the cocksfoot crop, and the price now charged was higher than itWiad been for many years. It is anticipated that owing to the increased demand, consequent on grass files, prices will g 0 still higher. SETTLERS 1 REQUIREMENTS. ACTIVE ENQUIRIES BEING MADE. In reply to a question as to what is being done in the way of ascertaining tho individual needs of settlers in icspoct to grass soed, as a result of tho tiros, Mr. J. Strauchon, Commissioner of Crown Lands for the Wellington land district, said : "About a fortnight ago instructions were issued to the Crown lands rangdrs in this land district to inspect afi 2>roporties that have been damaged by lire, and to interview the owners or occupiers with the object of finding out what their requirements aro in the way of grass seod. The rangers — four in number — have received orders to furnish reports as speedily as pospible. Owing to tho continuance of tho iircs in njany places, tho rangers' have been unable to eond in the complete reports, and they aro still actively engaged in their ,work. All applications for assistance received by tho department aro immediately referred to the rangers. Tho local officers must now bo piefcty well forward with their investigations, and wo aro daily expecting their reports. Wo have not ut present the smallest idea as to the quantity of seed that will be required ; but as soon as tho reports aro in we will tako prompt bteps to supply tho grass seod.