THE BUSH FIRES.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 9638, 13 January 1903, Page 2

THE BUSH FIRES.

4 _ (Special to Herald.) MORERK. yesterday 4.15 p.m. The fire is still burning at the Springs. Mr Stewart lost 200 sheep. (Per Press Association.) WAIROA. this day. A sett 1 1. r .it, Turewa ihig a hole and placed his wife and family m it when the "bush fires were rajrinj'. The. liix pasml Uirough the Nikau grove, an acre m extent, at the Hut. Springs, Morere. Fortunately it deployed only the undergrowth. Amongst the sufferers by tlie busii. fires was Mr J. Thomson, of Whukaniu, Motu, who, after three days battling with the file last week had tlie misfortune to lose his house and everything he possessed. Mr Thomson had lit a lire to clear tlie buch felled on his property, and Hk gala springing up set the fire towards his dwelling, and a. large stock of newly sawn timber thai wa.s m readiness for the erection of his new limi.se. He battled hard jto save the latter, and wliilst he was engaged m doing so the fire swept round at the back of him and caught the tworoomed house, winch was destroyed with all its contents 1 . His dogs which were tied up near the house were also destroyed. He had no insurance. Mr Fisher, of the Motu, is also said to have suffered some lons by the fires, and most of the .settlers m that direction experienced a very trying time. Heavy rain fell on Ihursday and put out niany of the fires. It is regarded by Motu people as extremely fortunate tliab the wind was blowing towards Gisborne, otherwise the loss m that district would have been far greater than it was.