BUSH FIRE DANGER

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23275, 18 February 1939, Page 15

BUSH FIRE DANGER

MINISTER'S WARNING NEED FOR GREATER CARE £bt telegrafh—PßESS association] "WELLINGTON", Friday Attributing the bulk of the damage done to native bush in New Zealand since November to fires having started in scrub and grass, some near roadsides where picnic parties had gathered, the Minister of Internal Affairs, the Hon. W. E. Parry, expressed the opinion to-day that there was still unfortunately a lack of appreciation among some" members of the community of the consequences of carelessness. 'There were people, ho said, holding tho view that all scrub was ugly and robbed the countryside and many of tlio ranges carrying native bush and ferns of their pictiutssqueness. They did not think, when starting a fire sometimes through carelessness, and at other times with the, thought that "a bit of this eyesore scrub needs burning off," that the scrub saved soil erosion, protected the bush at the back, or afforded help to young native trees. There was also the possibility of loss of valuable properties. "These blazes among scrub bring to one a message clear in its seriousness,, and let us all. hope the effect is appreciatively registered," Mr. Parry said. "New Zealand does not want to see even a miniature of the terrible fires in Victoria which brought m their train loss of life and millions of .acres of fine bush and timber country.