THE HEAT OF SUNDAY.

Clutha Leader, Volume IV, Issue 190, 1 March 1878, Page 6

THE HEAT OF SUNDAY.

The heat of Sabbath last, which was very oppressive thrbuh'out the Clutha, seems to have been felt all over the Country- Considerable damage seems also to have been occasioned by; fires. The Morning Herald reports :— Yesterday was'orie of the hottest days in Dunedin within the memory of the " oldest inhabitant/ the thermometer registering 84 indoors, arid up to 120 out of doors. A high warm wind blew frbm the northward all day, obscuring ;the air with clouds df dust, largely mixed with smoke from one bf the largest and 'rabslr destructive bush fires which 'has taken place in this 'Province for a number of years, and which was raging all r -along the bush coiintry be- , tweeri Bliieskin and Pine Hill. 'It ap- ■ pearstb have originated somewhere in 1 the vicinity of the former district early yesterday morning, arid favoured' by a strong breeze, spread rapidly in the * direction bf Mount Cargill and Pine ' llill. Mr Young's, block of land. Which baid a large quantity of titriber sriited for building purposes, was swept by the ,;fire, as also were Mbssrs, Leckie's, Wright's, Alexander Ford's, MarshaH'sV Crift's," and Jeff's, in ;the Same district. Mr Marshall's, house had a yery narrow escape . from being burned ' down, and ; two huts bwn^d by Messrs Criftsarid Jeff's, who cart wood, into .the ..tow.n, were destroyed. It is impbssibleto accurately estimate the value of the timber wliich has been burnt. The crash of, the. falling .trees could be distinctly! heard last night at, Mr, Brown's, hotel, at, the Kor,th-Eastyy.alley,,a distan.ce.of ; fully a mile and a half. The bush at Vauxhalband ithe; Peninsula. was, also on fire,, during-, yesterday. A ?A change^ pf weather fortunately set -in; about ,one o'clock ; this .morning,: and it is to ;be i hoped "that -the -heavy shower of rain which fell will 'have the effect of staying I the' further progress of these destructive ; bush'fires',' •''-"'• -' ;;!r '■■'■ -a^.-* <y. ■-.. ■)„,-.■ -■; " ,; TMifi'PrlßSS Agency telegraphs:-- 1 -" Tri-; ; vercargill.^A* heavy' warm'iiprth^"' gale , has'been W'owirig^ j' Sushf;jat .hack^vp^ Me^ssrsfJ ;Bbs,Bell,' ; f Meafsf janii -• GarSiner'js' houses.' tool: -lire

and -burned furiousiyj'threatening:j.tte. i i. destruction of the, houses, . : . 'I|heifire-beli rung at mid-day, and 'the' Brigade... turned out and proceeded to the scene, and also hundreds of people. A severe struggle ensued to keep the fire back, and so far the efforts mado ; have beenjr successful. Mr Russell, who has justj. driven in for refreshments for the workers, says that the wells have aU been pumped dry, and nothing can -be done bu*i to beat tbe fire down' as it ap-''-* proaches the houses. , A plantation of young trees put in" by Mr Meara ii quite mind. .-..-.-.-.■.,■•-*■•