DISASTIOUS BUSH FIRES.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 9419, 15 February 1913, Page 5

DISASTIOUS BUSH FIRES.

OESPERAII BATTLE WITH FUMES if.AVY DAMAGE. i (Bp Pases Association.) GISBORNE, Feb. 14. The Mot and Matawai districts are a mass of fla e, fierce bush fires enveloping the surrour ing country for a distance of about nine juaro miles. , Tolephoa wires in all directions are down, so bat communication with the affected art is impossible, and details are very difticu to obtain. Writing Werday, a correspondent at Matawai, w ich appears to be the centre of the 6re, kid the settlers were suffering a deal of Jnxiety owing to the close proximity <| bush fires raging in tin; neighbourhood. Mr Korte, whose wedding day it was, Vas away from home, but his two brother* who did not attend the wedding, aft* working until they were completely owreome by smoke and heat, finally left tie house to take it« chance. The house (at new one), strange to say, did not take 3re after all. but Mr Korte's brothers are badly affected in their eyes. Sloan's sawfiill was completely wrecked, and a good 4eal of valuable timber destroyed. Onlt three of the wharcs occupied by mill hands escaped. The hands had previously removed their belongings to Matawai, vihere they spent the night. The crops hay of most of the surrounding settlers were tlso destroyed. At Matawai,' this (Friday) morning, the settlers wore feeling very uncomfortable. Bush fires were raging only a mile awav, and the township is dead in the line of wind.

The correspondent said that personally he did not think there was a great risk, though the fire was sufficiently dole to cause anxiety. Mr James Gardner had his whare containing all his grass-seed burned down bv a second fire, which broke out on the clearing on his section or run From mid-day of Wednesday smouldering log fires, fanned by the rising wind, fairly took possession of this country." continues the correspondent. "By Wednesday afternoon a stretch of fourteen or fifteen miles of country, from Burnard's (just beyond Matawai) to Redpath's property at Kakauroa, on the one side anil Morioe's projierty (Upper Motu Vallev Koad) to Rakauroa on the other, was a nothing mass of flame. The settlers had an anxious and trying time around their homesteads and in trying to rescue stock. The sawmill people are having a bud time So far Mr Hall\s and Messrs McUod'mills at Matawai are safe, but shifts of men are standing by all night ready t<. man the fire liases connected with the mill plant. On the Motu Valley Road, how ever, the mills of Messrs Drummond Bros, and Messrs Sloan Bros, were in danger from the first. The. fire off Morice's pro perty swept in a direct line from Sloan's mill, situated on the property of Mr J. B. Clark.

"By 9.30 P.m. o« Wednesday the cottam of the mill-hands were alight, and the last glimpse of the sight through the flanus and smoke wa« the mill building and tini ber stocks burning furiously from both ends. Meanwhile the wives ajid families of the imll-harids had been hurriedly moved to Matawui, together with what household effects could be loaded on the three available bullock waggon*. As much other portable property as could lx> colkcted in time was buried in pits and covered over with '"oil.

"The fire along the Motu Vallev road wa> a magnificent sight after dark. Fences and telephone wires are down in all directions. The Kortes' were smoked nut- and had to shift. Mwsrs Marshall's, Riddock's, King's, and Buscke's properties are surrounded by tire. The properties principally affected are, on the one side. Messrs Bernard's, Blair's. Herson's, and Green's. H. M. M'Kenzie's. Aitken'6, Abbotsford's. Smith's Smith Bros'.. Redpath's, and beyond out to tlnfront of Motu road. On the other side. Messrs Morice's, Marshall's, Riddick's, Maxwell's, King's. J. B. Clark's, W. Clark's. Ait ken's, Beaufov s, Shaw, and Grace's. "To give an idea of tho rapidity of the lire, at 3 p.m. on Wednesda... Sloans wen cutting and working the mill as usual. Two hours' later they were practically surrounded by lire. Very few went to sleep round the burning areas. In Rakauroa pits were dug ready for the planting of household ;roods.

"Several of the cooperative men have been burned out. and wine stood by their camps all The situation i. still very critical, and fresh fire-lines are advancing. A buggy and pair had a trying time getting through from Buscke's to Matawai, the horses showing unmistakable signs of the fierceness of the fire by the singed state of their coats."

A Motu correspondent reported to-day that things are pretty warm in that locality. A strong north-west wind was blowing, and bush fires were raging with considerable strength. This morning the fires round Quirk's mill, which, however, it was thought would be quite safe, though ueeding to be constantly watched. At Messrs Elliott's. Thompson's. Bright's. P. M. Hansen's farm, and several smaller cottages, the set tiers had a warm and exhausting time tight ing back the flames, and the danger is now practically over. Mr Angus Fraser had als<. had a very bad time saving his property. Mr W. Turnbull, of Messrs Kells and Turnbitll, stated that he has liecn practically burnt out. over 3000 acres having been fired. The homestead was afire again on two occasions last night, but although alone lie sue coeded in putting out the flames. Log.- i:i the vicinity are still smouldering, but the main fire hat passed. Fortunately Mrs Turnbull was'aw ay in tow n. The Io«s of sheep is not expected to be heavy, a* Mr Turnbull succeeded in moving the bulk of the stock on Tuesday. Mr Turnbull. who was practically blind yesterday, is recover ing his eyesight, and the men who were sent from Mr Tullocli's place are aUo recovering.

HEAVY TIMBER LOSSES

GISRORyE. Feb. 15

Matawai reports that the fin* burned steadily through the night, and the situ afion is vet dangerous. The countryside has been devastated. A good fight was put up by the settlers day and night, and many are exhausted. . William and John Clark's homestead isurrounded.

Sheep have been roasted in heaps, within sight of the helpless owners. Abbottsfovd Smith lost 1200. and John Clark 1100. Other settlers' losses cannot be ascertained til! the fire clears. At the timber mills the hands have been fighting Ithe fires with bucket brigade and hose from the boilers for 24 hours, akd so far have kept the flames at bay Large stocks of building timber have been lost