CYCLONE AND FIRES.

Hastings Standard, Volume XII, Issue 60166, 5 January 1909, Page 5

CYCLONE AND FIRES.

CABLE NEWS. United Press Association —By Electric Xelegraph.—Copyright.

Sydney 4, received 11.55 p-m — Hot weather still prevails in the country. j\ great fire threatened Nowra. The townspeople turned out and succeeded in saving the town, but thi country round about was devastated EXTENSIVE DAMAGE. (Received 5, 8.37 a.m.) Sydney, January 5. A cyclone at Blayney unroofed and shattered many buildings, and devastated the show ground. Bush fires are sweeping the country round Yass. Many settlers were burned out. Many women and children were rescued by being wrapped in wet blankets. Others took refuge in the river. The dairying districts on the south coast, and Singleton. Dungog, Bathurst, and Wagga are suffering severely, and there have been numerous destructive outbreaks of j fire at these places. The township of Bumbatthy in the Grenfell district is surrounded by fires. Round Gundagai 50,000 acres of grass have been destroyed, and the fires are still unchecked. BULK STORES DESTROYED. £20,000 DAMAGE. (Received 5, 8.37 a.m.) Brisbane, December 5. A fire has destroyed Heaslop Company's large bulk sores. The damage is estimated at £; 0,000. £IOO,OOO DAMAGES AT YASS. FRUIT CROPS SHRIVELLED UP. (Received 5, 9.40 a.m.) Sydney, Januarys. The damage by fires at Yass are estimated at over £IOO,OOO. They were helped by a strong wind, and travelled 15 miles an hour. The township of Nowra is ringed in with fires. By the great efforts of the Fire Brigade and hundreds of townsfolk the township was saved. At Brewarrina the thermometer registered 123 degrees. The intense heat has caused severe injury to fruit crops everywhere, and thousands of pounds worth of stone fruits, grapes and tomatoes have been shrivelled up and destroyed. Numerous cases of heat and apoplexy have been reported. FIRE AT PUKETITIRI. THE HOTEL DESTROYED. PRESS ASSOCIATION. Napier, January 5. The Puketitiri Hotel, owned by Neale and Close, Ltd., and tenanted by Henderson, was totally destroyed by fire early this morning. Nothing was. saved. Insurances —On the building £3OO in the Phoenix, and furniture and stock £2OO in the United.