THE BUSH FIRES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13396, 26 January 1907, Page 5

THE BUSH FIRES.

MILKS OF VALUABLE FOREST

DESTROYED.

[iIY TELEGRAPH.— ASSOCIATION'.]

lciii'Rcit, Friday. With a change of wind the fire in the Oxford bush was chocked in its course leading to the town of Oxford, but it was driven back again across the country it had previously traversed in the direction of the Waimaka.riri River.

Miles of valuable bush has been destroyed, and the tire is still burning fiercely. It is stated by settlers in the locality that only a week's steady rain will extinguish it. A number of sheep have been destroyed, but so far no human habitations have been burned.

THE POSITION' IX SOUTHLAND. [BY TELEGRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION,] Ikvercargill, Friday. The scene of the bush tires was inspected to-day by Mr. Ilauan, M.H.R., Mr. Hay, Commissioner of Crown Lands, and Mr. Kinross, a member of the Southland Land Board, with a view of ascertaining what could lie done in the way of sowing down the burnt areas in grass. The Commissioner will rei>ort to the Government. A considerable ami, of the affected area is freehold, him the settlers are already preparing to sow. A number of the Government settlers, who have been earning their living by working at the .sawmills, will probably lie obliged to surrender their holdings unless the mills resume working, which is problematical at present. Some of the holdings are benefited by the fires, as clearing has been done which would have taken, months ■■■< labour.