ARATAPU. — DANGEROUS BUSH FIRES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVI, Issue 5394, 1 March 1879, Page 6

ARATAPU. — DANGEROUS BUSH FIRES.

Oj* Saturday week the whole township was alarmtd by the report of lire in the swamp adjoiniog these mills, and the report was well-fouuded, for upon examination it was discovered that the tfre was travelling at a fearful pace, both to leeward and to windward, having hold of b »th bush and swamp, the indication being that it would (uuless stopped) surg? right through the cottages in occupation of the mill-people. At 11 p.™* Messrs. Ludlow an I C.irr pushed their way through tbe swamp to the tail of the scourge, in order to beat it out there, so a3 to preserve the property of the company, and, afterb iog torn by cutty-gr&33 and tripped by creepers, —one losing the better part of his unaientioaables aud the other his shoes, they had the satisfaction of seeing the bulk of the fire die out at tbe end nearest the mills. Theo, in company with Mr. Gill, the contractor for th« new schoolhous-*, tli«*y proceeded to the other end, and by 1 30 a.m. on Sunday danger was over. At one time during the conflagration the school wa3 in imminent peril, out happily it came out unscathed, ft 13 a fearful risk at this present time to fire either bush or grass in the neighbourhood of settlements, especially as it would place hundreds of lives ic jeopardy, and if happily life teas saved, it would destroy thousands oi pounds' worth of property, and cast adrift large numbers of destitute people upon tbe world in the event of a concern like this being destroyed. * Duriug the progress of the fire the excursionists per the Tangibua returned, having enjoyed a most elevating and delightful trip as far as Wilson's, from whence they caaie laden with the fruit of the vine—not in it 3 liquid state, but in its pleasantly-innocuous condition—straight from the wood. The river was simply a lovely scene, at th© upper end especially, and the trip was heartily enjoyed by the sixty or seventy ot all agea and sexes who went, and a tolerably direct course wa* made up the wharf and to their respective homes, to the tune of 14 won't go home till morning," &c , at about 11 30 p.m.—[Own Correspondent, Feb. 2- J