LYTTELTON.

Colonist, Volume III, Issue 213, 4 November 1859, Page 3

LYTTELTON.

DESTRUCTIVE FIRES. From the Lyttelton Times ot October 15, we take the following:— ', ...'.'. The past week has brought us some of the most disagreeable weather which this country has ever suffered. The month of October has in every year earned to a greater or less extent an unenviable notoriety for its .North West winds; in some years these winds have assumed the character of violent gales; and in other years have lasted for days together. It was reserved, however, for the Octoberof 1859t0 produce North West winds combining; violence with duration.. The wind had blown from this quarter for several days, when, on Tuesday, it assumed a peculiarly fervent character. Those only who hav^e experienced the wind can understand the heat and dust and violence which this expression mplies. On Wednesday, the gale continued, at times breaking out with increased severity and again relapsing into an almost complete calm. These atmospheric fits, as they may be called, continued by night, as well as by day, and caused no littledisquietude to dwellers in the slightly framed houses'of which our towns are principally composed. On Thursday the gale reached its climax, and on this day the occasional squalls were literally terrific. The "Black Thursday of Port Phillip began to be talked about, and every one was on the watch, not without reason as will be seen, for the outburst of fire in some quarter which should sweep the country bare.against the unavailing efforts of the few active men who might have energy enough to attempt a struggle. We do not wish to over-color the picture. No doubt' Black Thursday' was a day whose equal it would be impossible to meet at this seasonof the year in New Zealand. And no doubt, also the ' Brickfielder' is a wind that the Maories would call 'The Father of all Nor' Westers.' But the fact of an arid wind blowing violently over our plains and down our mountain steeps is sufficiently frightful after a long drought to fill every;man's mind with apprehension. Not to speak of the direct effects of the wind upon chimneys and other fragile or moveable property, the chance of fatal results from fire—that implacable enemy of a wooden town—is immeasurably increased. Thesmallest sparkisfanned at once into blaze —the blaze spreads with fearful rapidity and clings with frightful tenacity to all inflammable articles. .To quench the fire it is necessary not only to put out the blaze but to destroy even the embers in which the smallest spark remains. After the repeated prophecies which are delivered on the prospects of wooden towns, it is natural that the iri-dwellers therein should on such special occasions as this last past take peculiar precautions against the destroying element. And the people ofLyttletonand Christchurch were fairly on the gui mve night and day. The smallest suspicion of a fire brought numbers out to assist in stifling the blaze ; and we have to record more than oue instance in which the readiness of all to assist was the means, under Providence^ of stopping a possible •general conflagration. , "First we may note the direct effects of the wind. In"Lyttelton on Wednesday night, one of the tall chimney shafts.of the Universal Hotel was broken off from the point' of emergence from the roof of the building and laid prostrate upon the shingles. This must have been done with great neatness, for few of the bricks were displaced, and the roof was not in any degree injured. On Thursday a.boat which had been drawn up on shore opposite the Mitre Hotel was raised in the air, and dashed to pieces on the rocks at a little distance. Another boat was taken off Peacock's wharf by the wind, and carried through the rigging of the brig Louis and Miriam, which was then lying alongside the wharf. Part of the maori huts on the beach were blown to pieces. The lead ridgecapping, was started and blown off the top of the Union Bank; and some other minor injuries were inflicted. We have no account of casualties of this description from Christchurch. ; The first and most important fire which we have to chronicle occurred at the new Wesleyan Chapel, in Christchurch, now in process of erection, on Wednesday, about 1 o'clock p.m. It seems that a portion of the floor had been permanently laid, and on another portion the joists were bare. The interstices were of course full of shavings and small ends of timber. The architect was present^ designing on the floor the sketch of a portion of the building, when he was alarmed by a workman calling fire, and, on looking round, saw flames, which, in but a moment spread themselves into a length of about twenty feet. Help was at once sought and readily supplied from all quarters. Messrs. Packer and Son, whose premises are opposite, gave up all their stock of water, and when that failed even allowed the beer which was in their vats to be drawn off, and thrown on the flames. All present contributed their services; —among the most forward, the name of Mr. Hart, butcher, is mentioned; but several others acted with great daring and zeal. The best proof of the exertion lies in < the fact that only the floor boards and joists were burnt, while, except the charring of one of the pillars, no harm whatever was done to the uprights. Had the flames spread so as to cover the whole of this spacious and lofty building, there can be little doubt; especially in such weather, that the fire could not have been ■stopped before it had consumed the best part of that of the^ town. The origin of the fife is not •exactly known, but it is generally referred to a pipe. Two fires of a less alarming character were discovered in other buildings in Christchurch on the following day, but several took place in the grass on uncultivated lands, some of which might have proved very serious. The bush at Hoon Hay was on fire for some days, and a quantity of stacked firewood as well as a large value of sawn and standing timber were seriously injured. ; The native bush at Kaiapoi has also been on fire, and on yesterday could still be seen in flames from these hills. The amount of property thus destroyed must also be very considerable. A fire in the swamp to the north of Christchurch was also raging on Thursday, and we understand that on its assuming a peculiar character and attacking the peaty soil of the swamp, the Commissioner of Police took a party of men out that evening, and succeeded in abating its ravages. We were present on the same night at a grass fire which was important not so much for its extent as. for the speculation of danger to the town. It was visibly first at about half-past eight o'clock in the evening, arid at once broke out into a magnificent but appaling blaze. On proceeding towards the direction in which it appeared, we found that it had commenced at a point between the Ricoarton and Lincoln roads, about' half-a-mile distant from Christchurch, betweeawhich point and the houses ofcthe town-there was nothing to check the flames. J .^Che / wind;was ( blowing fiercely from the N.W., but {he fire, had not for some reason gone down straight fcefbte the wind, when it would have met with the ■ffradj which it would probably not have crossed, but it was working in a diagonal line across, the wind with great rapidity sideways. The ground it occupMwaa a marsh ia wet weather; it was [..U ■ ■ -••■-'■. •■• .. ' ■ . ■':

I covered with deep'holes, in which, water-had been accustomed to stand, but where now long grass and rushes weregrowidg drily. -Broorivand flax were also abundant in thick and' compact" bunches. When we first arrived there were about.3o men looking on, and'-as we went round to inspect the rise and progress of the flames,' we found no one' attempting to arrest them. The" direction of'the~ line of fire, with respect to the wind, .was, however, - favorable to a near approach, and it could not be concealed that probably as it was, and on a shift of wind certainly the army of fire, would marcli right up to the gorse fences which circumscribe the cultivations on this side the town,- and thereupon must triumphantly overcome the houses in the streets. The blazing line was now about a quarter of a mile long. As we looked, a man appeared' by our side thrashing the flames with a pitch-fork, imitating the opposition of Mrs. Partington to the tide, and with the like success. We could not, however, rofrain from following the example, and cutting a good handful of long flax we fell into the assistance of the gallant fork-man. The flax had a wouderful effect; it beat the fork hollow, and together we• had no inconsiderable effect upon the flames before us. We were at the weather end of the line and as we triumphed over one small section .we passed down to the next. But two could have don.c no real service, against such a mass of fire; our only advantage was in showing the by-stand-ers what might be done, and they took the hint; for by the time when we had mastered about a hundred yards of flames by ourselves, we were joined first by one and then by another, till finally, the field being reinforced as the bright light summoned more help from Christchurch, not less than a couple of hundred arms were thrashing together, with poles, pitchforks, flax, broOm tjvirigs, or any other ..implement which came.to hand,V The. ti-tree is considered to be. the best ,fire-annihilator among grass, but there was no such serviceable plant to be.found. By this time also something like system had been organised. When a clump of flax was seized by the flame attack was found to be useless; the besiegers waited with weapons raised till the fire spread through the grass at the outside of the clump. This was extinguished and the ashes scattered, so that through this burnt patch no flame could again spread. The ' many hands made light' work' of it, and in an hour or thereabouts, there was only here and there an intermittent flame visible, and it became a light duty to watch it so that it should not revive into the roanng furnace of fire which had been at first encountered. No little sparks were to be neglected, for all this time the nor' wester continued to pour its and gusty blast across, quickening every ember into fresh vigour. When the work became a little easy, the true British jokes took place among the crowd. One would say as he stood among a gang whipping at the blaze—" If any person has any gram to thrash now, let 'em put it down." Another—" Aye, mate, and it would be all ready dry for grinding." A third lamented that he would have to " go to Mr. Thompkins to-morrow for anew pair or whiskers;" and he was answered by a line of similar jests as long as the fire, if not quite as bright. When we got to the end of the blazing column, we were close down to the road, and very nea'ij°i afu^" 8' rovvn £orse hedge, whose ignition would have been the signal of sauve gui petit to numerous houses in the neighborhood. In a direct line we were within about two hundred yards from the occupied portion of the town. The last comic utterauce we heard was " Now lads, we've saved Christchurch !" and the assumption was not altogether without foundation. The same speaker added " Let's go and get some beer." We don't think the strictest tea-totaller could have had the heart to deny so reasonable a request. "The unusually severe drought experienced in the province this spring, has added much to the danger to be apprehended from the inflammable nor-wester. It is singular that in Otago, as we hear, a large supply of rain has been falling at the time when we have been without any. It is sincerely to be wished for that our turn may soon come. In the church in this town the appointed prayer for rain has been offered during the past fortnight. This, we believe, is very unusual. It willbe observed that the Council has authorised the immediate expenditure of a sum of money sufficient to sink at least three wells in Lyttelton ; and we may mention that steps are being taken to carry this resolution into practical effect. We may observe that extreme care should now be taken to_ avoid risk of fire. The man who is inattentive with pipe or candle during weather of this kind is more^ than ordinarily careless; and we are satisfied that in case of accident from fire no jury would acquit such a man of crime. TARANAKI. We have papei'3 to the 29th instant :-— At the meeting of the Provincial Council yesterday (September 28) of New Plymouth, under Consolidation Act, 1859, were altered from the scheme sent down by the Superintendent to the following :—" On the North the sea at high water, on the East the Henui river, on the South Lemon street to Watson street, along Watson street and the north boundary of Native reserve No. 14 to Hobson-street., along Hobson-street to Gilbertstreet to Elliott-street, along Elliott-street to Gardner-street, thence in a direct line to Fillisstreet, along Fillis-street to the boundary of the Military Reserve, round the southern boundary of Military Reserve." The only object of the alterations made was to give something like regular shape to the town site. We have heard the Superintendent has approved of the alterations, and they will no doubt be officially communicated to the public through the Government Gazette. The Furze Bill passed its second reading, and was forwarded through committee. The blank in the first section relating to penalty was fixed at £l. The second and third sections were carried without alteration. The third was altered by words making the occupiers of both holdings liable in the penalties imposed.by clauses 1 and 2; and, by the 6th clause, the Ordinance will come into operation on the Ist October, 1860. The Schedule describing the boundaries received considerable alteration, very much reducing the limits within which the Ordinance will be operative, which now stand as follows :—" A line commencing at the sea beach at the end of Queen-stret, thence along the sea beach to the Kawau Pa Reserve, thence along the western southern, and eastern boundaries thereof to the sea beach, thence along the sea beach to Gover-street, thence along Gover-street to Leachstreet, thence along Leach-street and Vivian-street to Robe-street, thence along Robe-street, the Market, and Queen-street to the sea beach, including both sides of the street. A sharp discussion took place in settling these boundaries touching the Kawau Pa Reserves. Mr. W. King suggested that it was a proper occa- | sion for attempting to make the natives subscribe to the law to which the settlers submitted; and moved that the reserve should be included. Upon the propriety of doing so no difference' of opinion appeared to prevail; but it was urged, first, that including the pa reserve would jeopardise the bill with the General Government, and, further, somewhat illegitimately, that the fifth clause gave the j Superintendent, with the consent of council, power to extend or otherwise alter the limits as from time to time might be considered neces- j sary. Mr. King, however, persisted in his amendment, which the Council negatived. Mr. Watt proposed the addition of the following clause, which now stands 6 in the bill:—" No information under any of the provisions of this Ordinance shall be laid by any other person than members of the Armed Police Force."— TaranaM News. Month succeeds month and the pledge made last March by his Excellency the Governor that the Chief Land Purchase Commissioner, after disposing of a few out standing engagements should return to Taranaki still remains unredeemed. We occasionally obtain passing glimpses of the Commissioner—at the last accounts his Honor the Superintendent of Wellington was in search of him near Castle Point in the Wairarapa—and.we hear of some great purchase of land' in some fortunate district on the other side of the Island, but not the slightest intimation that his labors elsewhere are drawing to a close, or that he is^likely yet awhile to visit Taianaki. Each proyipce ia turnt com-

plaiosjof his absence, and did.lie possess as many bodies ,as. there, are provinces, in the colony he would find ample employment for them all/ As iit-ik, the weakest goes to the wall, and^provinces which already count their acres by millions can .command the services of the Chief Commissioner ?withSu£ an effort. The systenY thereof which ; places in-the hands of one person a power which requires exercising in half a dozen places at the same "time must be faulty, and the question arises, . Could, not the influence which Mr. McLean possesses over the native mind be gradually extended to the subordinate local affairs of his department ? We believe it could, for our experience of native affairs amounts to this that when natives are anxious to sell land, it is not influence but promptness and decision which are necessary to strike a bargain, and that on the ; other hand when they will not sell, no influence whatever will induce them to do bo. The maori is in many respects a fickle minded race prompted oftener by impulse than reason, and as a consequence requiring a corresponding amount of influence. The sale of the Bell Block of land was a case in point. The settlers were deprived of the use of this land for five years owing to the neglect of the government to provide funds for its'purchase at the time of negotiation.' It has not unfrequently happened too, as in the case of the recent acquisition of the Waitotara land for the Wellington province, that the government have eventually purchased land from those very natives who have most violently opposed its sale. It is therefore with a knowledge of the precarious affairs at the Waitara may assume if the present system of procrastination is persisted in, that we again invoke his Excellency to fulfil the promise he made so many months ago, to "Natives as well as to the settlers, and to which' he is bound to every consideration of justice and sound policy. Upon the completion of the purchase of Teira's land many important questions are involved, arid we repeat that the Governor is bound to pursue this land purchase to a conclusion. It is true that in the present instance there is an opposition but is land ever purchased without one, real or fictitious? Is it not an inevitable consequence of the system? The opposition in the present instance is influenced by factious motives alont, not from any legitimate claim to the land which they have dared the Governor to pay for, and their opposition can only become dangerous from the extraordinary delay that is taking place which putting out of heart those who possess both the desire and the right to sell, encourages, by consequence, the opposition. Neither must the position of the Teira and his immediate friends and supporters be overlooked, estranged and separated from many of their tribe and yet enjoying none of the reward due to them for the fidelity with which they still observe their engagement. But whether the delay occurs through Mr. McLean's abr sence, or whether his presence is absolutely necessary to conclude his Excellency's acceptance of Teira's offer, it is not our intention to discuss Suffice it to remark the natives were given to understand the latter, Mr. McLean should therefore have made his arrangements^accordingly. It is not surprising that they should now under the circumstance exhibit symptoms of impatience, and doubt promises made to them, in all sincerity we feel assured, when followed by inexplicable inaction on the part of the government; and we do not hesitate to add from personal acquaintance with some of our best disposed Natives, that if much more time be similarly wasted, no amount of effort will serve to restore confidence with them.— Taranaki Herald, October 22. The overland mail from Auckland to-day brought the Government's reply to the memorial addressed to his Excellency urging the importance of acquiring more land for the province, which we lay before our readers for the present without comment. Colonial Secretary's Office, Auckland, 14th October, 1856. Gentlemen, —I am directed to acknowledge the receipt of your memorial to his Excellency the Governor, urging the importance of acquiring additional Crown Land in the province of Taranaki, and requesting that the Chiet Land Purchase Commissioner may be directed to return theie for that purpose at the earliest opportunity, and I am to inform you that your memorial has been duly laid before his Excellency. In reply, I am to state that the unavoidable detention of Mr. Chief Commissioner McLean by important land negotiations in the Province of Hawke's Bay has prevented his return to Taranaki in that time within which, on the Governor's la.te visit there, both his Excellency and Mr. McLean thought such return probable. With reference to your complaint of the infrequency ef the Chief Commissioner's visits to Taranaki I am to observe that the reason is because there has hitherto been in that Province no opening for his exertions in the purchase of native land, and because, moreover, the Resident Commissioner is well able to take advantage of any favorable opportunity in that direction which might occur. His Excellency is as anxious to acquire more land in the Province of Taranaki as the settlers themselves, but he must remind them that continual agitation of the subject necessarily produces in the mind of the natives an exaggerated sense of the value of their land, and an indisposition to part with it all; thus, in practical effect, rendering the object in view still more difficult of attainment. The progress of native land purchases in a province where the natives are willing "to sell affords no fair ground of comparison with, its progress in a province where they refuse to do so, as unfortunately has been for so long a time the case ia Taranaki. Nothing will induce his Excellency to take native land without the full and entire consent of its owners; but I am instructed to repeat hig assurance that no effort shall be spared to acquire all the owners are willing to alienate. I have the honor to be gentlemen, Your most obedient servant, W. Gisborne, Messrs. J. C. Nield, Under becretary, Wm. King and others. OTAGO. We were visited on Sunday and yesterday by a furious hurricane from the N. and N.W. During its continuance roofs of dwellings were blown off, the alarm of fire was several times raised, and many houses at Port Chalmers were in imminent danger from masses of burning material from the mouldering remains of bush clearing fires, which had been re-kindled and carried to a great distance by the violence of the gale. Timely precautions, however, prevented any serious damage, so far as we have yet learned.— Colonist. October 14. We are happy to learn that the hurricane of Thursday last, and the bush fires which at one time placed much valuable property in imminent danger, have, with one unfortunate exception, caused less injury than was anticipated. The most extensive and threatening of these fires commenced in the North-East Valley, ; and spreading with fearful rapidity in several directions, put in jeopardy the mills'belonging to Messrs. M'Glashan and Duncan, and many dwellings in Pelichet Bay. Assistance was, however, promptly on the spot, and by dirit of strenuous exertion, the danger was providentially averted. The unfortunate exception to which we have alluded, was that of the house recently purchased for the residence of the Rev. Mr. Johnstoue, of Port Chalmers, situated at Sawyer's Bay, which, after narrowly escaping destruction on the previous Sunday from a bush fire, was burnt to the ground on Thursday, together with some property which had been placed within it, preparatory to Mr. Johnstone's taking up his abode there. As we perceive these occur* rences have not operated as a warning, but that parties are persisting in setting fire even in immediate proximity to .dwelling-houses, which has been done in Stafford-street and other places during the past week, it is to be hoped the police will immediately interfere to put a stop to so wantoa^ ..and dangerous a practice.—Qofo^,.October $k