A Devastated Land

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 8198, 26 January 1906, Page 5

A Devastated Land

Splendid Heroism. (Received January 26.9.37 a.m.) MELBOURNE, This day. The whole country from Hillend to Neerim in Gippsland was laid waste on Tuesday, and practically all the settlers are homeless. The heroism of the schoolmaster, Mr Vales, at Toora, sated 2S children. He collapsed again and again and went through a veritable furnace to get water to pour on the blankets which he had spread over the scholars. Mr Yales, interviewed, said the children obeyed him and lay Hat on the ground. Another man and he kept the blankets wet. He got water from the burning school till it collapsed and then went through the blazing scrub to the creek. The boys helped him. When the lire Mas at its worst they ran into large logs and covered themselves with wet blankets, and as they were caught by the fire, they shifted to other logs. The school children stayed with him all night. Nine bodies were buried at Toora yesterday. Scales and a party of labourers, while scrub-cutting at Binginwarrie, were surrounded by the fire. Their horses were ridden fiercely in an attempt to escape, but they were so injured by fire that they had to be shot. The men found refuge in a water-hole, which was gradually filled with burning branches. They were in the water for four hours. One man, who became temporarily insane, was prevented by force from suicide. Ail ultimately escaped, but were nearly blinded and scalded.