BUSH AND GRASS FIRES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13812, 28 January 1907, Page 5

BUSH AND GRASS FIRES.

EXTENSIVE DAMAGE IN CANTERBURY. .

O?M Uxitsd Pebss Association.)

ASHBURTON, January 26. During tho week grass fires, which ha,ve done damage- to large tracts of pastures, growing crops, and fences, have been reported from various parts of Ashburton County, but tho most serious one.occurred on Wednesday at Lauriston, on the RakaiaMethven line. Tho fire was fanned bv ft stormy north-west wind, and although hundreds of men were engaged in fighting it, it destroyed 1000 acres of pasture, miles of fences, farm implements, nine stacks of oats, and u number of rams and many farm outbuildings containing pig* and fowls. One man, in order to save himself from the flames, rushed into (he middle of a pond of water. Tho heaviest sufferer by tho fire is Mr Waller Goodwill, who only recently purchased ,his farm. CHKISICIiURUH, January 26. A little rain fell in the Kowai Bush and Pattorsqn's Creek district last night, and assisted in quenching tho fires, which to all appearances are now extinguished everywhere to the south of Patterson's Creek. Smoko still rises thinly from the hush at the junction of Fattenon's Creek with the \\amakaiiri, hut not in the immediate vicinity of the sawmill. Away on the remoter parts of the forest reserve the fire appear.? to bo still burning, hut with much less fury. There is very little wind to-day.

A DEFECT IN THE LAW. (Fsoir Otm Own Correspondent.)

OHRI3TCH.URCH, January 27. . It appears that when a bush fire starts tliovo is no provision made in law to enable local bodies to incur any expenditure in employing men to extinguish the blaze in Iho early stage, when, if anything effective can bo done, immediate action should he taken. The chairman of the Oxford Road Board has suggested )o the Commissioner of Crown Lands (Mr Gold' Smith) that representation should be matlo to the Government to insert a provision in the Local Government Bill to be introduced next session' empowering local bodies to incur a certain amount of expenditure at once when a bush iiro is reported in" a district. It is thought that the suggestion is ii good one, and the mu.tl«r will be brought under the notice o£ the Government '