FIRES.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XCIX, Issue 11538, 26 March 1898, Page 6

FIRES.

[Per Press Association.]

AUCKLAND, March 25,

The Tararu. Creek Goldmining Company’s battery and the residence of Mr Torrens, the manager, have been destroyed by fire. ;

SCRUB FIRE AT NEW BRIGHTON. 'A large scrub fire, started in Mr Staniland’s , land, near Professor Bickerton’s, at half-past eleven yesterday. ", It' appears that a quantity of dry pine boughs were being Leaped up and burnt near a fine plantation of pines, and the wind, which was southerly when the bonfires were' started, suddenly veered round to the north-west, sending some sparks into the dry gorse, which lay about among the trees. The fire thus started quickly got a hold, and eventually caught among tho pine trees. Then, with a strong wind behind, it swept a clearly marked path through the plantation about one hundred yards wide and fivo hundred yards long before a lull in the wind enabled the men, of whom quite fifty had assembled, to -confine if to the area already destroyed. This was effected by cutting paths* and burning back .until a bolt had ( been made round it. At one time it was thought that Norris’s and M’Haffey’s houses, which were in the direct line of the fire, would he destroyed, and they undoubtedly would have been but for the wind dropping opportunely. Several of the men who had ventured right in among the flames had to run for their lives, as a heavy puff of wind sent the fire roaring after them at a pace which took them all their time to outstrip.