FIRE DESTROYS FLAX.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20842, 8 April 1931, Page 8

FIRE DESTROYS FLAX.

HAURAKI PLAINS AREA. EFFORTS TO CHECK OUTBREAK FLAMES TRAVEL TOO FAST. LOSS ESTIMATED AT £12,000. After destroying 660 acres of standing flax, a fire which broke out last Friday is still burning in a swamp at Torehape, nine miles from Waitajtaruru, on the Hauraki Plains. Tho outbreak, which occurred at Mr. C. W. Ingram's mill, destroyed between 9000 and 10,000 tons of millable leaf, which will take between four and five years to replace, and was estimated to be worth £12,000. Mr. Ingram said the fire started on the northern boundary of the property about nine o'clock on Friday morning and swept right through the flax area, which was in one large swamp, within three hours There was a strong northerly wind, and although the outbreak was detected soon after it commenced, there was no chance of stopping it. The 25 men employed at the mill were called out to cut firebreaks in the swamp, but the flames travelled through the dry peat and flax faster than they could work. The men were forced to retreat and make a further attempt, but before they could cut another break the fire had reached them. Gradually they were forced back until tho flames had swept through the whole property. The fire travelled along a front over a mile long, and the men could not check it.

A house belonging to a settler 30 chains from the swamp was menaced while the fire was at its height, the outbreak spreading, right up to the building. Fortunately the direction of the wind changed before the houso was reached, and the flames spread in a different direction across the adjoining property. The mill and machinery were never in danger, being 60 chains from the' swamp. After burning off all the flax and the dried peat and old timber in the swamp the fire .continued to smoulder and had not burned itself out yesterday. It is thought that the outbreak will not be finally suppressed until heavy rain extinguishes the peat.

Mr. Ingram said the cause of the fire was unknown. On several occasions in the past two months burns on adjoining land had endangered the swamp, but had been prevented from spreading into the flax. On this occasion none of the neighbouring settlers were carrying out burning operations. The area was considered one of the most valuable in New Zealand, having produced in one season as much as 380 tons of heiqp, valued at £II,OOO. It would now be necessary to close the mill for at least four years, while 25 men would be rendered unemployed. A previous mill on the same property was burned in 1918.