TOLL OF THE FIRE.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 18 February 1926, Page 5

TOLL OF THE FIRE.

THE AUSTRALIAN DISASTER.

."LOSSES IN TIMBER INDUSTRY.

ORGANISING RELIEF FUNDS. BST CABLE —PRESS ASSOCIATION —COPYRIGHT. MELBOURNE, Feb. 17. A revised list of the toll made by the bush fires shows that 30 aie dead, two are missing, and nine are seriously injured, but this will probably be altered from day to day as the searchers continue their work. There are 200 people in the Horsfall Mountains without food or shelter. Pack horses laden with food have been despatched, but as the roads are strewn with burning logs, it will be some time before they can cut their way through. A man and his wife with their baby at Fumina drenched themselves with water and sheltered in an outhouse until the first flames passed. Then they returned to a potato patch and dug a hole, in which they lay covered with earth until the worst of the fire had passed. Then they stood in a cr.eek for the remainder of the night. i Reports from Beeac, beyond Powellstate that there has been a fresh outbreak there, and the position is dangerous. The wind threatens _to carry the flames through heavily timbered country hitherto untouched towards Noojee. The wind is still rising, and women and children have been ordered to leave. Most of the fires are now out, although fresh serious outbreaks are reported at Monbulk. A fresh outbreak also occurred at East Warburton, but the wind, continuing from the south, forced the flames back on to the burned area. The danger is not yet past, but if the wind continues from the south it will soon be over. The total value of the mills and mill tramways destroyed is £300,000, and the output of hardwood timber will be reduced* by 50 per cent hntil the mills recommence. Eight hundred mill hands will be idle. This figure does not include a number employed in townships dependent on the mills. The Governor-General has received a message from His Majesty the King, stating: “It is with the deepest concern that I heard of the devastating bush fires. I truly sympathise with your Government and the people of Australia in this calamity. I would ask you to convey' my sincere condolences with the families of those who lost their lives, and at the same time express my admiration at the heroism displayed in combating the danger.” The Victorian Government has decided to subsidise the rebuilding of bridges and timber tramlines, and the Government will guarantee funeral expenses and authorise the distribution of 20s worth of supplies for each person in each burned-out hamlet. In the House of Representatives, the Federal Premier (Mr S. M. Bruce) stated that he had communicated with the State Government with a view to meeting cases of immediate necessity with blankets and tents from the Defence Department stores. When the full facts were available the Federal Government would consider further assistance. Mr Bruce added that the fires had aroused a great wave of public sympathy. A feature was the wonderful heroism which had been shown. Mr M. Charlton (Leader of the Labour Party) supported Mr Bruce’s remarks. A suggestion has been made in Melbourne that to augment the funds the Australian cricket team for, England should play a match against a team selected by Warwick Armstrong. The acting-Premier stated that offers of assistance for the distressed have been received from every State in the Commonwealth and also from New Zealand. New South Wales and New Zealand had already offered financial help, but at present he did not propose to accept any Government money. The Victorian Government would do _ its part in endeavouring to rehabilitate the people and prevent a drift to the cities. Already public subscriptions in Melbourne have made over £IO,OOO available for the relief of distress.

N.Z. GOVERNMENT OFFERS HELP

(BY TELEGRAPH PRESS ASSOCIATION.) GISBORNE, Feb. 17. _ In connection with the bush fires in Australia, the Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates) forwarded the following cablegram to the acting-Prime Minister of Victoria : “On behalf of the Government and the people of _ New Zealand I desire to express our sincere sympathy in the loss of life through the ravages of the bush fires which have inflicted such serious devastation to Victoria. This Dominion will be glad to have the opportunity to render relief if this is acceptable to your Government. Kindly let me know.” The following reply was received toV night through the Premier of Victoria (the Hon. J. Allan), who is at present ■ in New Zealand on holiday: “Much touched by your telegram conveying sympathy with the sufferers in the recent bush fires. The fires are well under control, and further damage has been averted. Unfortunately. the forests in portions of Gippsland have been burnt, and a number of homes have been destroyed. Much regret also that the disaster was attended with loss of life. The Government and the people are co-operating to afford relief to the sufferers. Victoria appreciates New Zealand’s splendid spirit, and is very grateful for the Government’s ready offer, but having regard to the fine public response already made, further appeals being launched, and the relief funds established throughout the State, we consider action by your Government unnecessary at present. Well knowing, however, the feelings of your citizens towards our brave settlers and workers, also their dependents, and remembering what the feeling of our people would be had a similar disaster overtaken your Dominion, we would not like to dif»°oiirngp the residents of your Dominion desirous of contributing. Your message breathes the true Anzac spirit.” AN ECHO OF THE PAST. BUSH FIRES IN TARANAKI. - EARLY SETTLERS’ EXPERIENCES. k 'l'lie terrible ravages of bush fires in Australia 'recalls to old residents in South Taranaki that on sev3 ml occasions since settlement was first formed in the bush lands round the mountain, the area in the vicinity of Kaponga and down towards Xapuni and to the west was ravaged by bush fires. One settler of c'ose ° n forty years ago on the Skeet Road, remem-

hers a fire being caused by the careless throwing of a lighted match in tlu- bush alongside the road, which caused the utmost difficulty in checking by the neighbouring settlers. Another had an even worse experience about 1897, on the Manaia Road, less (ban a mile from the township. A fire coming from the west surrounded the homestead of himself and his brother. the ’after adjoining to the east. The land was partly cleared, but the danger from fallen bush was very real, and both, with their wives and young children had to fight exceedingly hard to obviate the danger. And later, too, about twenty years ago, there were very extensive bush fires, which spread round the mountain, afSl in which much, damage was done to the farm homesteads, though fortui'jte’y there was no loss of life.