BUSH FIRES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6122, 8 March 1898, Page 4

BUSH FIRES.

AT LITTLE RIVER. j Eno- the early part of last week buah 1 andrass fires were hgJJ«d in various nla. some of which did considerable Sage and created much anxiety and T.la-amongst the settlers. The fires were all'pt pretty well under control until Weesday morning, when one which had befflurning for several days at the head of rawera Valley slowly crept over the rat into some. cocksfoot stubble in tho Wern Valley. In the evening the fire spid at an alarming rate before a nor'we breeze, which continued during tho nis and up to five o'clock on Thursday mono', when tho wind changed to the sou-west, and several light showers- of rafell. This gave an advantage to those wlhad been unsuccessfully battling with thflames, and after a desperate effort th succeeded in checking its progress. O.Thursday evening a steady rain fell' fceveral hours, and most of the smould<ng logs and stumps were quickly extiuTshed. The fires swept over about fi hundred acres of cocksfoot stubble, a: a large quantity of firewood was consied and much damage was done to bndary fences. Part of sections belongii to Messrs W. Montgomery, G. Jones, ILe Corapte, James Reynolds, H. White, JSrnith, E. Watkins and Vanstone were but, and some of the land will require to Ire-sown. |

1 l cheque for £5 has been forwarded to j t'. Bush Fires Belief Fund, as the surplus i f m the picnic recently held by the mein- J bs of Our Father's Church. ] ?he following amounts have been re- i cred Mr John Ingrain, the treasurer, : oi account of the Oxford and Birch Hi Relief Fund :— John Orr and Co., .£1 Is Tucker and Bean, .£1; proceeds of co:ert and dance held at Staveley, .£2l ; coicted by Mrs Gudsell, of Ohoka, .£5 12s 6d collected by Mrs May and T. Knowles, TVpara — A. Francis, £1 ; Glenniark emplies, <£3 7s 6d; G. G. Greig, £1; John Lile, .£3 3s ; J. Knowles, 10s ; Greta Vtey school, <£1 3s ; Waipara Down, £1 ; snll sums, .£4 10s 3d ; a friend, £1 ; Mr Nt, .£1 ; Loyal Waikari Lodge, 1.0.0. F., J>] 15s ; Woolston subscriptions, £26 3s 6dW. Wood, 3s ; total received to date, £E3 7s 2d.