BUSH FIRES.

Colonist, Volume L, Issue 12167, 15 February 1908, Page 3

BUSH FIRES.

MANY HOMESTEADS DESTKOYED. (Per United "Press Association). Wellington, February 14. Taihape and Raetibi advices state that Mr Brass' house and woolshed on the Omeku Road, have beon destroyed by the bush fires. The Pipiriki road is blocked/ and the children attending the school i had to spend the night in the j township, r Mr King's house, in the middle of JMangituroa, was destroyed, ana Mr Hoddle's slaughtenouse, Pipiriki Eoadi has gone* All the. wires are down, and it is impossibllo .to get details. : On Valley Road, Mes3rs Nairn and Uoote, settled, have been burnt out. paports from higher up the road are npt. to. hand, but the damage must beextensivo. The"settleis at Pubekaka had perhaps the worst; time. The wind ble* with hurricane force, and it is estimated that the lire travelled half-a--mile in£iive minutes. Drillers have left their canpa to assist and families of settlers. In one case n lady and her brother were rescued in the nick of time, both, almost, suffocated. Many .settlers have been burnt o.ut at Pukekata, where the school was awapt away. It is that settlers further back have fared even worse. |There are anxious times on Pipiriki and the Mi"dlo Roads, where the^settlers are fighting the tires day and night. Several have gone. Settlers who came to Raetihi were unable to return, and while detained their homes were burnt down. In some cases settlers had to watch night and day for a whole week. Later reports state that .'Mes3rs Stierice arH.Moseii.senidr and junior, liave been burned out. The only insurances knowii 'are Messrs Braes, Nairn and Harris, J6325. , _ .• Latest. Latest reports from Raetihi 'state that Messrs JVlosen J (2), Nairn, Spence, Patterson, Cox, Gosnell, Coutts, Harris and Kerr have been burned clean out. Stock in large numbers has' been destroyed. Fires are still raging around Ohakune, Horopito and near Taihape. At Wai puna, Mr S. Gould's faousej. the whafes, and Mekes' find McConibes' woolsheds were away. Mr Dickson has lostffoui 1 hundred sheep. At Taihape the townspeople are digging holes in which to place their goods in case the fires sweep the township. At Mataroa, Mr J. Oliver's house and other buildings have been destroyed. Thirteen homes have been burned around iJaetibi. 'J The settlers have suffered so severely that there is urgent need for Government assistance. Auckland, February 14. Reports from Oparau, Awaroa and Terauamoa show that the bush fires are still raging. The settlers have sustained heavy losses, They [are still fighting 2 t^ e flakes with all the resources at their command. At Terauamoa the smoke was so dense at the school children had to stay tit the school on Wednesday night. At Oparau Mr Mclntosh lost his house and stock; Mr Bell aud Troughtoii Bros.also lost their houses The settlers at Awaroa, Kiritehere aiid Marokopa aie fighting hard to save their homes. Mr Elliott, of Oparau, lost 800 sheep and Mr Perhan 200 sheep. E» Disastrous bush tires are raging hi the Waingaroa district. The Waingaroa Hot Springs Hotel and also several houses had a narrow escape from total destruction. Much loss has been sustained by owners of stock. A number" of men employed on road work are giving help to fa'gbt the flaiues. ■ r lhe Maoris were all night righting the fire at Waingaroa springs. The houses of Messrs W. Soaville, Gibson, and McMillan are in great dauger. " Feilding, February 14. Apiti is ringed with bush fires, and settlers are having an anxious time. Mr G. Rankin. Table Flat, had his residence destroyed : .Mr Gould lo3t 40 sheep: and Messrs Lawson and Davey lost several outbuildings. At Timuta several houses are in imimnenu danger. There is a scarcity of grass, which is causing widespread alarm. There bas been practically no rain here since Christmas Day,andjthe outlook is more serious than it has ever been.