ONLY ONE OF ITS KINO.

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 11684, 24 February 1931, Page 5

ONLY ONE OF ITS KINO.

BEiUTIfVI KAURI FOREST THREATENED BY T FIRE. Electric Telegraph—Press Association DARGAV’ ILLE, February 23. On Sunday morning at about 6.3(1 o’clock it was discovered that fire had broken out on the north-eastern boundary of the famous Trounso.n Kauri Park. Mr R. M. Donaldson, a ranger, found the fire which had been, in his opinion, deliberately started at four points on a front of about three-quarters of a mile. No time was lost in getting assistance, and settlers were soon at work with slashers and spades making fire-breaks. At neon the danger n, peared to be over, but during the afternoon the wind veered round to the north and fanned up the flames, which whipped oyer the breaks and again assumed serious proportions. The men had been increased in numbers and redoubled their efforts. With the change of wind and a fortunate fall of rain in the early hours of this morning the fire was 'held in check and although it. is still smouldering in parts the danger of it reaching the most valuable portion of the forest ha® now passed. A patrol of men will be kept on for the purpose of watering small fires. An area of about seventy acres of forest, including some valuable trees containing about 60,000 superficial feet of timber, was destroyed. In an interview, the ranger isaid the damage was not. so extensive as was at first thought. Considering the dryness of the season and the large quantity of undergrowth thev wei-c fortunate in getting the fire out so isoon. If it got into the tops of the kauri trees the whole forest would probably have been destroyed. The Trounson Kauri Park contains about 1300 acres 700 of which are all kauri. Portion of the park was given by the late Mr James Trounson, as a gift to. the Dominion and the rest wais acquired by the Government and reserved for all tune It was formally handed over to the Government in November, 1922. The forest is the only on e of its kind in the world and this season has been inspected hv 400 visitor®.