THE WAIPORI FIRE

Evening Star, Issue 21232, 13 October 1932, Page 3

THE WAIPORI FIRE

NOT SO SERIOUS AS AT FIRST BELIEVED REPORT BY GR J. J. MARLOW The opinion that Sunday’s fire in the plantation near Waipori was not so serious as was at first believed ami that the trouble had been caused by the negligence of anglers was expressed at last night’s meeting of the City Council by Cr J. •). Marlow (chairman of tiio Electric Power and Lighting Committee). “ 1 do not want to minimise the trouble,” said Cr Marlow, “ but at the same time I wish to say that it was not nearly as serious as we were at first led to believe.” Ho went on to say that there were COO acres in the plantation. There had been no bush fire in the ordinary sense—merely a grass and tussock fire. Two hundred acres had been planted successfully, and another area had been planted in Oregon Pine, which had proved a failure. Men wore now working on the latter ground. It was estimated that •_’()0 acres of the plantation had been partially destroyed, embracing from 100,000 to 120,000 trees. Where the grass was lighter the fire had gone over The voting trees, and, if they had a good'shower of rain soon a. large percentage of them would recover. “ Personally, I feel that the cause of the fire was the negligence of anglers,” went on Cr Marlow. “ The parties which have huts are not so dangerous, but those that go out for the day arc known to light fires. I v,o or thice parties wore out that day, and invostiIrntinns are being made. Application will lie made at once to thp Covcmment to have the place made a fire district, and, in addition, it will be n-d-sary to make further provreon for firebreaks. The E.P. and L. Denartnicnt will have to go into the conditions under which fishermen arc allowed on + ’--t ernund. The thanks of the council were duo to the men who rushed to tho plantation to put the fire out, continued Cr Marlow. After making reference to the prompt action of Mr H. Cotton in going out of his way (o'make investi-u-atirms and get men to tlm snot, the speaker said that the fire fighters had work'd! under trying conditions. The lake itself lied made a snlemhd 11 rebreak Mr Cotton agreed with him that there had been nothing wilful, and had put the trouble down to misadventure on the part of fishermen. Thai was a very fair way of putting it. (