THE BUSH FIRES.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 104, 25 January 1908, Page 6

THE BUSH FIRES.

PONGAROA OUTBREAK STILL RAGING. OTHER DISTRICTS QUIETER. (nv TELEGRAril —SrF.G'IAI, CORUKSrONnENT.) " Pongaroa, January 24. The windiins dropped, -but there is much smoke about. Reports,coming in from the back country describe further exciting experiences of' settlers in fighting the fires. The list of losses is growing rapidly, and includes buildings and, stek, much of-which has been roasted alive.. In other cases • stock aro. Starving, as the grass lias all been burnt. - Children wore saved by being placed in dry wells'; ■ and. many •'residents took, refuge in tho creek beds;-. Sonic parents dug pits and covered the family with wet sacks. -.In some 'ca'&s .milk was .used..-to stop houses from burning. Settlors' were completely exhausted by the blinding smoke,'.and-should the . wind rise the houses will have take their chance. Tho fire is spreading at.R-akaunui. ■■ The weather is threatening rain, but none has fallen yet. Milk supplies are dropping fast. '• ' ' V - ... ■ Mr. P. ,o|Leary released thirty, partially, roasted bullocks by cutting a wire ienco at the. risk of; his lifo. . ■ . ' SITUATION AT NIREAHA. FURTHER-LOSSES REPORTED. • (FROM OUR SPECIAL-.CORTIESVONDEJIT:). •VWowfoUle,-January 34.Residences' in different portions of the Nircaha district are still in danger from the bush fires,. and,, practically all the settlers are "oil 1 night-duty.'-,., - . A dwelling< owned and occupied by 'Mr. 0." Olsen,, formerly of ''Carterton; and: situated in Aptc'a,' two miles, from Nsreaha,. was''destroyed> by fire' yesterday morning some time before* midday.,. Thero was. no insurance. Tho family comprises seven children, in addition to husband and- Wife. Tho .loss is intensified-by / the fact that all tho -furniture, was removed from the houso and placed in what'! was'thought to bo a safe spot, and the fire, came along and licked up the furnitnrc 'before it sa'rtcd; on the. house. . .'; Sottlers. were.', anxious . last nigilt, .when there ' was" a northerly wind blowing.' At two iii ' the morning , it cloudy,; but only ii, few; drops of rain fell, and now it is drier Ithata. ever'. .' -.. - 1 ' Several farm-residences on the road leading from-'Nireaha-to-Newman are -in-some danger ' ifa' rstrong nor'-westerly .. springs. »P- . -' THE COROMANDEL FIRE.' . (BY TELEGRAPH—MESS ASSOCIATION:') . Auckland, January 24. Fires aro .evidently serious in the Gumtown district • on; tho.: Coromande! Peninsula. _ The manager of the Kapowai Gold Mining Company reports to-day:—"Tho • fires have'been bad during the .week, and at times cpused anxiety for, the safety,of tho battery. There is still a considerable area on fire, but I think we-are,'safe." , . • .. ..' ; POVERTY BAY AFFECTED." (by IBIiEOUArH —ritKSS ASSOCIATION.)' •.' ■ Clsborrie, January 24. Bush fires.,-at Motu this ' week spread across country,; for miles. Mr.' H. Richmond's house was destroyed. ■ Rakaura sottlers had to fight tho flames for days, and; to bury their clothing. ' MANAWATU GORGE FIRES. Fires have been raging for the past three days at the AVoodvillo ond of tho Manawntu ■Gorge, but, so far, liavo done practically no damage. Tho greenness of tho broom prevents any . great spreading of tho, conflagrations, although thero is much smoke. Tho fires on. the'Ballance settlement were wafting great clouds of smoke over into tho gorgo yesterday (writes our Wairarapa correspondent). The blazo there seems to bo general, but not very sorious, \ although settlers .have to observo. the usual precautions. ' The road over' tho bill between Palmerston North and' Pahiatua was understood to bo blocked on Wednesday, and a newly-married couple, honeymooning in a motor-fear, carried an axe with them on that day, in order to clear away any trees which might bo blocking the way. _ Mr. TV. T. Jennings, M.P., who. arrived in Auckland a few' days ago from Taihapc/via the Main Trunk railway route, stated to a'. "Now Zealand Herald" reporter that -tho wholo country passed through is a mass of smoke; and travelling both by train and coach is thus rendered ..very unpleasant. Amongst tho largo number of trees destroyed are some of tho handsome clump of 100 rrniu trees at Rsurimu, from which that township takes its name. Unless the fires are soon extinguished it is feared that jjreat damage will bo dono -to tho standing timber in and around the Wiiimarino district.