BUSH FIRES IN SOUTHLAND.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13392, 22 January 1907, Page 5

BUSH FIRES IN SOUTHLAND.

STILL RAGING FIERCELY. MILLS AND HOMESTEADS DEMOLISHED. TWO MEN MISSING. [»Y TKLKCKAPH. —I'RKSS ASSOCIATION".] Invkrcahoill, Monday. 'I'm: bush lires continue to rage in the Seaward Bush and round about. A heavy mass of smoke drifts continually across the sky. At Otatara, the settlers have been fire-light for days, and work has been almost suspended. Mr. Rol>ort Marton. who recently took up a Government section at Maple Grove was burnt out yesterday afternoon, his four-roomed house being practically destroyed. The building was not insured. It is said that the settlers in this loI cality are passing through a reign of terror. Women ate joining the men in j lighting to save their homes. Wallace's mill, at Hedgehojve, has been i completely destroyed. It is believed the j mill was insured, but the particulars of "i.he insurance are not available. Practically the whole of Seaward Bush, from Georgetown to the Gorge Road, a distance of 19 miles, is on tire. The Tasbury sawmill, owned by Mr. j Fairweather, was demolished, along with J four houses in the vicinity. ' The railway station at Tishury was de- | stroyed, and a lvacon factory, built of brick, was threatened, the skylight igniting several times. Miles of fencing have been burned. Broad's small sawmill between Tishury and Waiinatua. and Bros.' sawmill, at Waimatua, have been razed to the ground and chains of tramways destroyed. Messrs. John Timpanv and Richard Lloyd, who were protecting a bridge, had a. narrow escape. The tire surrounded them, and they made a dash through the bush, finally taking refuge in a waterhole, where they kept, the flames off by throwing water on the surrounding bushes. After remaining there for three hours, , they found their way to the Woodlands | tramline, where they were picked up exi hausted bv a party with a trolley, j At Tisbtiry two men trying to save a I quantity of oats and chaff were in grave J danger, and had to Hy for their lives. A ! lad driving a dray through the bush had ' to remove the horse and abandon the i vehicle, which was burned on the load. I lie evening train from Invercargill was j unable to get past, lishury sawmills are | insured, but the amounts are not definitely ascertainable. Mr. Timpanv has £500 in the Commercial Union, but estimates his loss at £1500. It is reported that two men are missing, but there is no confirmation of this.