MANY BUSH FIRES

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 16553, 21 January 1928, Page 5

MANY BUSH FIRES

DAMAGE IN THE NORTH LARGE AREA AFFECTED (Special to the Herald.) AUCKLAND, this day. Auckland is still suffering from a prolonged dry spell. In the city, gardens arc parched, and as the use of hoses is prohibited in order to conserve the water supply, all gardening operations are practically at a standstill. Many grass and scrub fires arc keeping the fire brigades busy. Reports from the country districts indicate that the position in many quarters is serious, and the milk output is steadily decreasing. This will have a marked effect on payouts to suppliers. Bush fires in the Raglan district have spread rapidly during (he last 24 hours, and a great, deal of damage has been done to pastures arid fencing. At To Tlku nnd Kauroa a large tract of bush country is now menaced by the flames. Numerous sheep have been surrounded by the fire, and it is feared that many animals have perished. Farmers are busy fighting the fire. Until the sheep have been mustered the extent of' the loss cannot be ascertained. IIOUSK DESTROYED Numerous grass fires have occurred in Hamilton lately, and property has been endangered. Peat tires, which are spreading in the vicinity of Morrinsvillc, have resulted in the destruction of a four-roomed house on the Piako road, owned by Mr. Vaile, of Masterton, and occupied by Mr. 0. Jeebe, junr. Mr. Jcebc was abse.it at the time. The flames spread from the burning peat to the long dry grass that surrounded the house, and gained a strong hold before the outbreak was discovered by neighbors. A belated attempt was made to beat out the flames, but the wind was too strong. There was only to time to remove the furniture before the building was enveloped in flames and demolished. The extensive fires which broke out on the wattle-tree plantations owned by Taupiri Coal Mines, Ltd., on the Rangiriri hills, have been stamped out. A large body of men worked hard all Thursday night in isolating the more serious outbreaks. Large quantities of props and bark belonging to Pukemiro Collieries were saved, but the damage to the Taupiri area amounts to many thousands of pounds. The trees on the Pukomiro plantation are not covered by insurance, but the loss will be. very much less than on the Taupiri Co.'s property. Definite reports of the extent of the damage have not been received yet at the Auckland offices from the company's rangers. SCENIC RESERVE BURNT LOSS IN NELSON DISTRICT (Per Press Association.) NELSON, last, night. Bush fires an on extensive scale have been raging in the Nelson districi for some days past. Records kept by the Forest Service show that the humidity is the lowest on record. Two thousand acres of scenic reserve vvero destroyed near Kawatiri. A lire in the vicinity of Tophouse, which came up from the Wairau Valley, lias so far not ascended the forest protection areas on the adjacent hills. Every effort is being made to conserve large areas of forest, and much valuable protective work has already been carried out by the Forest Service. Towards the West Coast the season is the dryest within memory.