BATTLE WITH FLAMES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22025, 4 February 1935, Page 10

BATTLE WITH FLAMES

BUSH LANDS ABLAZE RAGLAN SETTLERS' LOSSES IMPROVEMENT IN POSITION [from oub own correspondent] HAMILTON. Sunday "Few people realise how serious the bush fires have been," said Mr. H. 0. Death, of the Ranui Estate, Raglan, last evening. Ho said the fire swept through 2500 acres of bush clearing on the 8000-acre block comprising the estate. Very extensive damage was done, many fences were destroyed, resulting in a great loss to Mr. N. L. Tapp, the owner of the grazing rights on the estate. Many sheep were killed. The exact number is not known as the muster has not yet taken place. Mr. Death paid a tribute to tho action of the engineer or the Raglan County Council, Mr. K. M. Wright, who placed 30 relief workers at his disposal to fight the flames. With two neighbours, Messrs. W. Coate and P Cleland, Mr. Death said he had worked night and day to stem tho outbreaks. The assistants supplied by Mr. Wright worked like Trojans. Firebreaks were formed and areas were back-fired to make clearings for the advancing flames. No sooner was one fire checked than a second, approaching from another direction, had to be dealt with. There was an improvement in conditions yesterday and when rain fell at 4.30 p.m. general relief was felt. FIRES IN THE WAIKATO SOME RELIEF FROM RAINS ORGANISED AID FOR FARMERS [by telegraph—OWN correspondent] Hamilton, Sunday Heavy rain fell at Te Rapa yesterday afternoon and filled the trenches constructed around the peat fires in that locality. Tree stumps which 'had been burning for some wdeks are still smouldering, but the smoke in far less troublesome than for some time. Fires in the peat have been much subdued and there was a welcome relief to-day from the smoke, which has enveloped Hamilton for some weeks.

Mr. J. It. jiell.y, of Hangawera Road, Morrinsville, whose property has been on fire for over a fortnight, stated this evening that the light rain which fell yesterday did little more than dampen the grass, and nothing to quell the fires. Mr. Kelly said that with the assistance of neighbours he had been able to control the advance of the fires, but they required continual watching. There was very little rain at Eureka yesterday and what fell had little effect in quelling the peat fires in that locality. The farmers are now being assisted by relief workers, as a result of the steps taken by Sir Alexander Young, Minister of Health, to arrange for the payment of the men. The gangs have been able to keep the outbreaks in check by extending tho system of trenches. Consultations took place between the Minister and representatives of the Waipa County Council, the Te Rapa Drainage Board and the Piako County Council yesterday, and arrangements were made for the setting up of suitable organisations in each of the districts represented. OUTBREAKS NEAR CAMBRIDGE FURTHER DAMAGE CAUSED [from our own correspondent] • CAMBRIDGE, Sunday To the great disappointment of Monavale farmers, the heavy rain which fell in Cambridge yesterday afternoon was not experienced in the swamp area where peat fires have been raging with renewed intensity. On Friday the fires spread so that practically thfc whole swamp was burning or smouldering, and in some places adjoi.nting pastures and haystacks were threatened. A fresh outbreak occurred in 40 acres of scrub and manuka owned by Mr. Buckingham, but the Bettlers were ablo to check the blaze. The fire on Mr. J. A. Stead's property also broke out afresh and destroyed a plantation of gum trees. About a dozen settlers fought the outbreak all night. Thirty acres out of 50 owned by Mr. Roy Smith have been rendered useless by the fires. A gang of men employed by the Waipa County Council has been fighting fires on. the Cambridge-Te Awamutu main road and so far have been unable to check the outbreak. GORSE AREAS BURNED * EAST TAMAKI HILLS Largo aroas of gorse land on the hills in East Tamaki district were swept by fire last evening. A large track of uncleared land on the hill slopes near Mr. F. Hammond's farm commenced to burn about 5 p.m. and the flames rapidly consumed the gorse and fern over a wide frontage. Sparks from the blaze started another otitbreak on the northern side of the slopes. Farmers in the vicinity were standing by their properties to deal with any encroachment on the adjoining paddocks. The pinetree belt alongside the Great South Road at Westfield, which was the scene of an outbreak ou Friday evening, has been smouldering in several parts during tho week-end. Last evening the roots of trees were smouldering and tho fire had eaten its way into the trunk of a fairly large pine close to the main road. Firemen from the Great South Road station visited the locality, but in the absence of a water supply littlo could be done to check the inroads of the fire. It is feared that the entire plantation, which is an attractive pieco of bush, will bo doomed to destruction should a wind develop to fan the fire.