TRAVELLERS THROUGH THE FIRE AREA

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 155, 20 March 1918, Page 6

TRAVELLERS THROUGH THE FIRE AREA

THE EXPRESS ARRIVES

PASSENGERS NARRATIVES

RAETIHI REFUCEES AT OHAKUNE

The express which ran through the fir© area arrived in Wellington at 11.10 p.m., and a very tired, red-eyed crowd of people, bags in hand, made, a rush for the waiting tramcars and taxi-cabs. From some of them was gleaned an idea of their experiences in passing through the fire zone.

"Wo arrived at Horopito at a quarter to fivo this morning," said Mr'. H. E. Tustin, of Wellington, "and did not leavo there again until 11.45 a.m., as it was being investigated as to whether it was safe to go on. At last we left, and having arrived at the Taonui Viaduct wo were told that we would have to' leave the train and walk to the other side, as the bridge was considered unsafe. So we picked up our bags and walked across the bridge in the smoke, and a funny, sight it was. On tho other side there was a train waiting to take us on. "When wo got to Ohakuno things wero pretty mixed. Talk-about Belgian refugees, they were nothing to tho Raetihi refugees; many of whom had camped in the railway station. Some were lying down, others sitting round, and some asleep, but in the clothes that they wero able' to get away in they looked a pretty misorable lot." Did the passengers suffer much inconvenience ? "Not a great deal. The smoke was pretty thick, it affected everyone's eyes, more or less. We ran out of provisions at Ohakune. There was an extra demand made upon the refreshments by tho people, and, lcavinj Ohakune., we could not get so much as a sandwich." And what was the sdene like? "There was no spectacle at all. We could see no flames, only a dense wall of smoke on both sides of tho line, but muoh heavier on tho right-hand (eastern) side of tho railway. Thore was

I smoke everywhere —ycu could not got away from it, but there was nothing in , tlio way of-a spectacle." A Soldier's Comment. A number of soldiers, returning to camp, were on the express. They said that there was' nothing much to say about the mishap, except that they had had enough bush smoke to do them for a life-timo, and their red-rimmed, bloodshot eyes endorsed the statement. One of them said it was lucky tho rain came on. From them it was gathered that fairly heavy rain fell about noon, and had a great effect on the burning bush. A far as could be gathered from the passengers there were no reports of any casualties arising out of tho fire, but the' story of the sufferings of thoso on bush holdings in tho fire-stricken area has still to bo told.'