PLANTATION ABLAZE

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXII, Issue 11407, 7 January 1931, Page 5

PLANTATION ABLAZE

INFECTIOUS -DISEASES HOSPITAL IN DANGER PATIENTS QUICKLY REMOVED DAMAGE ESTIMATED AT FROM <£B,ooo to £IO,OOO (Press' Association.’ CHRISTCHURCH. Jan. C. . A serious .fire broke out this afternoon in the lupins on tlie sand hills near Bottle Lake and spread to the Hospital ' .Board’s pine plantations. Fanned by a heavy north-west wind the fire threatened to spread over a Wide front in the pine plantations, lupins, gorse, and other inflammable growth, all now very dry. with destruction to property and some dang_ er to parts of the seaside suburb of New Brighton. The infectious diseases hospital at .Bottle -Lake - was early . in' danger, but 'though branches of the fire spread almost to., the Walls of the buildings, the fi*e passed without doing any damage. Tlie Hosjafal staff quickly removed the 23 patients to a place of safety, and preparations were made for salvaging everything movable. There are about 150 acres in the Hospital Board's pine./plantation, the trees ranging in age from sixteen to two. years old. All this area was burnt out.'. 4 . " ...

.Not far away, hut safe for the present. is a"’much larger area of 1800 acres, planted in pines by the City Coiincil.

The fire burned fiercely until ten o’clock when its progress was arrested by a belt of green elderberry growing wild' among the‘lupins and gorse. The only damage done was to trees and some .fencing. , , The total damage ik £B,OOO to £lO, 000 ’ '/