SWEPT BY FLAMES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20311, 20 January 1928, Page 7

SWEPT BY FLAMES.

BUSH FIRES IN TOE NORTH. GREAT DAMAGE TO PLANTATIONS. ' (Peb United Pbess Association.) AUCKLAND, January 18. The Star’s Mercer correspondent telegraphs that great bush fires are raging between Mercer and Whaugamarino. In the Taupiri plantations last night the flames swept through 1000 acres, leaving only about 50 acres undamaged. The fire also swept the Pukemira plantation right up to the manager’s house, which was saved. Then the wind changed, and the fires are now raging in Zimmerman’s property at Whangamarino. There is great damage, particularly to the wattle trees. OUTBREAKS ON WEST COAST. PERIOD OF DROUGHT EXPERIENCED. (Per United Press Association.) GREYMOUTH, January 19. The West' Coast is experiencing a drought, only an inch and a-half of rain having fallen during the past five weeks. Bush fires are general, but no serious damage has resulted. The shortage of water is handicapping the sawmills :n some localities, and the rivers generally are exCgtionally low. The forest service officers have been called on to protect the plantation near Ross road, where the bush has been ablaze as has also been the case along the Midland railway line and to the northward. PLANTATIONS DESTROYED. COAL COMPANIES LOSE'HEAVILY. (S?ECIAL TO DaILT fIMES.) AUCKLAND, January 19. Extensive damage was caused by an outbreak of fire late on Wednesday afternoon on a large wattle tree plantation controlled by the Taupiri Coal Mines, Ltd,, on the Rangiriri Hills, near Mercer. It is believed that the conflagration was caused through the falling of a spark from a passing engine into a patch of dry scrub near the raijway line. The flames spread with remarkable rapidity, and before they could be checked they were swept by a strong south-easterly wind to an adjoining plantation owned by the Pukemiro Collieries, Ltd. It was not until late this afternoon that the fire showed signs of subsiding, but by that time about 350 acres of trees ou the two properties had beer burned. The two plantations, each of about 500 acres in area, are maintained by the respective companies in order to provide a supply of pit props for tl.eir mines. It is as yet difficult to estimate exactly what area has been burned, although it is believed that about 250 acres were destroyed on the Taupiri Company’s property, and about SO acres on that of the Pukemiro Company. The damage is estimated at several thousand pounds, that on the Pukemiro plantation alone being about £3OOO. Much of the work carried out on the plantations during the past two years will have to be repeated.