BIG BUSH FIRES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume L, Issue 15260, 26 March 1913, Page 8

BIG BUSH FIRES.

RAGING NEAR WHANQAREI.

SETTLEES FIGHT FLAMES.

EXTENSIVE DAMAGE FEARED.

■■■-■"":'■■ v * "' fBT TELEGRAPH-OWN CO:

Whakoabbi, Tuesday. Fanned by strong winds bush fires are again raging all over the district. The smoko is evident in thick clouds, and reports of damage to property and loss of stock in some cases are slowly coming to hand. Extensive damage has been done in the Purua and Titoki districts. The winds stirred shouldering fires, and drove a fourmile face of flame across the country at the rat© of four miles a day. It is reported that a number of sheep have been burned on Mr. Campbell's property, at Houto, , and settlers in the vicinity have been hard at work endeavouring to save stock. The fire spread to the Haraku district. It was still sweeping inward last night, but was travelling slower as the high wind had dropped somewhat. In several, instances standing bush, has been completely destroyed. ..■'■ '• * ■ Picnickers' Harrow Escape. A Whangarei picnic party j Messrs. D. and C. Smedley, who were accompanied by their mother, sister, and a young lady visitor from Wellington, met with a sensational experience while endeavouring to return from Matapouri Bay late yesterday afternoon. For several miles progress along the road was a difficult matter, owing to the dense smoke, but' no real alarm was felt until when negotiating a deep valley they - found that they were hemmed in by fires on three sides. As there was grave danger of the fire cutting off their retreat the party made immediate effort*, to retrace their steps. Great difficulty was found in turning the vehicle, owing to the narrow road being bordered by a dry watercourse on one side and a steep bank on the otherThe three ladies rSnback half-a-mile to a point of safety, where they were eventually joined by the two men, who had managed, after great difficulty, and by i working with handkerchiefs tied over ; their faces, ;to unharness the horses and I turn the vehicle round. ! > During the ladies' run for safety, Miss 1 Smedley dress caught fire, and the fact | that the carriage rugs were also ablaze at one time, illustrates the seriousness of the picnickers*. plight. > ~ ' Grass and fencing Burned. • In the Jordan to the west of the Hikurangi swamp, settlers have been fighting for the past three *daye ?to save'their stock and homesteads .close by. '• A big fire is sweeping across the Otaikarangi district, and a large quantity of grass and ,miles ;of fencing have been - destroyed. After three days of incessant work a band of settlers managed to ■ save ■ Mr. M. D wyer's homestead at this point. It was necessary to turn stock adrift, in order to save.the ■ animals;-..'.'

la this locality fire-fighting has been a hazardous undertaking, owing to the dens© smoke, and the fact that with the high wind the; path of the flames is continually (Slanging. One of the fire-fighters, Mr. A. H.: Cotton, who had been working byday and night, discovered, just before daylight on Sunday morning, that his own place was; in jeopardy. After, a hard fight, assisted by his family, he managed to save all excepts pott of , the orchard. 5 ; - State Forest Damage. % A-portion of the Kawarewarewa State forest: reserve was destroyed, the fire being spread i rapidly by sparks from the Burning {kauri trees. The flames have also traversed portions of the Hikurangi I swamp for the firs* time in its history. Along its bolder* -evidence of the drought is plain in the shape of wide cracks in the ' ground. The < foliage of dumps of standing native bush is turning brown, in colour throughout the district. A Serious Position. v The combination of drought and bush fires is rapidly becoming a most serious matter. The ; settlem 'fear a shortage of winter feed for stock, as . grass-sowing operations are 'already delayed, and should cold weather; follow the effect in growth must be disastrous. . -;' . .■