Destructive Bush Fires.

Pahiatua Herald, Volume II, Issue 128, 28 March 1894, Page 3

Destructive Bush Fires.

Settlers’ Hardships.

Settlers in tbe Forty Mile Bush have had a very unfortunate time of it during the last few days, when the long spell of unprecedentedly dry weather culminated in a series of hush fires which carried destruction and devastation all along tbe line. Up to Sunday morning burning was proceeded with quietly and safely enough, but on that day a heavy, gusty gale sprang up and swept tho fire before it in long, leaping lines of fire, which were speedily on the oonnnes of settlement and threatening destruction to everything before them. At MaugatainoW* tjj 0 settlers were amongst the first to be compelled to defend their property against the ravages of the flames, and for a while they had a hard fight. Mrßtenberg's workshop, cowshed and stable, and hay and potato store, were speedily reduced to ashes, and the dwelling house was only saved through tho efforts of the neighbours. A stack of seven or eight tons of olover day, belonging to Mr Gleeson, was destroyed, as was also Mr McLean's buggy shed. Mr .1. .Tessop’s house was endangered and was only saved from destruction by the continual efforts of tbe neighbours. At Pahiatua the Balfour estate suffered most severely. Standing trees, stumps, grass, everything, in fact, was swept away, driven by the gale driven flames. It is estimated that on this property over 100 Hheep have been destroyed. The targets and buildings on the Pahiatua rifle ground were completely destroyed. We learn that at Ngaturi Mr T. Miller's house was destroyed, hut up to the present no word has been received of any further damage in that vicinity.

At Newman most of the houses were endangered, but luckily the fire swept by without doing serion" damage. Lk»t“l"'." , uln p ar kville suffered severely, everything round the latter place being completely blackened. Houses owned by Messrs Gower, Rossiter, Lowe, and Wallace were burned to the ground, and it is believed other residences further back have also been destroyed. Tho ground was 3wept bare and grass was completely destroyed. Fences were burnt and generally the place bore a look of desolation. The public pound at Eketahuua also disappeared. A i port was circulated that a bridge at Aifredton had been burned, but up to the present no definite information is forthcoming. Owners of property along the railway line between Eketahuna and Mangatnahoe are heavy sufferers. Fences have been swept away and every particle of grass consumed. Every log and stump seemed to have been on fire, and it is almost certain, therefore, that great numbers of sheep must have been destroyed. Mr M. Sheehan appears to have been the heaviest loser.

Of the destruction in the lower part of the district tho Mauriceville correspondent of the Wairarapa Daily Times says :

On Sunday evening la3t the fires began to spread with alarming rapidity, and during the night tho settlement became surrounded with fire. Towards morning a large dwelling house, the property of Mrs Roigard, a widow living on the West road, was burned to the ground, as well as the outbuildings, hay shed, and farm implements, including chaff cutter, ploughs, harrows, etc. The poultry s,r,d pigs also shared ip the general destruction, being roasted to a crisp. Mrs Roigard had twenty-two pounds in the house at the time, which was also destroyed. The next victim was Mr H. M. Peterson, who had his dwelling house and all it contained destroyed. An unfortunate oircumstaneo in connection with this ease is that Mr Peterson had allowed his insurance on the property to lapse only a few days since. Later on Mr Sehow's residence shared the same fate, including a rare collection of valuable books. Several other dwellings caught fire during the day but were fortunately extinguished before the ffames got mastery. Mr N. Albertson lost his hay shed and hay. Mr P. Hansen met with a similar misfortune. Mr Lars Matsen also had his shed and hay burned, while two stacks of valuable hay, the property of Messrs Eliot and Larsen respectively were both destroyed. Mr J. Bannister suffered to the extent of twenty cords of firewood. Fencing has been swept away for miles and stock have suffered terribly ; but the extent of the damage has not yet been fully ascertained. Hastwell and Wiwaka settlements have suffered terribly, but the real extout of the damage is not yet thoroughly known. Altogether it has been the most destructive fire which has occurred here for the past seven or eight years. Great sympathy is felt for Mrs Roi- ; gat'd, who barely escajwd in her night I garments, also Mr Peterson whose children were with considerable difficulty rescued horn the burning bttildI ibgs.

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