BUSH FIRES.

Hokitika Guardian, 26 February 1926, Page 3

BUSH FIRES.

—~ (Australia & N.Z. Cable Association.] another TOWNSHIP BURNED. ’MELBOURNE, Feh. 20. Fanlied by a. strong wind the forest fires burned fiercely throughout the nielit. hut a. change of wind averted all danger to lile. In the afternoon the position at King-lake, wild*' 'far the past ten days a tvrrilic lire has raged in the, heavily timbered .surrounding district, vas so serious that the school children had not even lime to reach their homes. They sheltered in the Post OHice, which, with other refugees, housed 150 persons. When the Ihimes swept down the township was wiped out in little more than an hour. The llames then swept across the Yea river and attacked Queenstown. Messages for help wore sent to the city and a large number of volunteers arrived on the scene.

After a .strenuous fight, the wind luckily changed and the other tow nships in the district were saved from total destruction, although the damage is heavy. A SEARCHING INVESTIGATION. SYDNEY. Feb. 20. In the Assembly in reply to a question. the Minister of Lands stated lie would conduct a searching investigation into the allegations that the iccent disastrous hush fires in N.S.U. had been wilfully lighted. LATEST REPORTS. MELBOURNE. February 2(5. Reports from the fire areas indicate that most outbreak’s are again under control. No loss ot lite is repotted, though communication with some ot the districts lias not yet been regained. Many stories are told of narrow escapes. A camp at Maroomlah Dam. near l-fcalesville, was practically wiped out. Tfealesville itself was hemmed in by the fires which seemed to ho burning on all sides. For several hours the town was in danger but the abating fury of the wind enabled hundreds ol lire fighters who had been rushed from all parts, to save it. Other fires in many parts of the State are still burning fiercely.