PEAT FIRES

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 97, 18 January 1935, Page 10

PEAT FIRES

Waikato Farms Ruined HOME DESTROYED Settlers Fight Flames By Telegraph—Brees Association. Hamilton, January 17. Widespread peat and scrub fires are raging in many parts of the Waikato alter many rainless weeks. Scrub ami peat fires reached an alarming proportion in the district surrounding Hamilton. Hundreds of acres of pasture have been destroyed, while other large tracts of farm land are threatened in every direction. The smoke shrouded tlie countryside. Settlers have been faced with a stern fight to save their land from fire, which also menaced and endangered their homes. The work of years was ruined by widespread outbreaks in the Newstead swamp. Thousands of acres have been made desolate on many properties. Land lias been burned down to the sub-soil, aud the clay is showing in huge irregular craters. Road traffic down to the swamp area has been almost cut off, as fires have eaten away at one point fully half of the narrow clay roadway Farmers in tlie district are working from daylight till dark with spade and plough, digging a huge drain which it is hoped may stop Hie spread of the flames. Nearly all those in tlie stricken area, have given up hope of saving much of their land on tlie Eureka side of the swamp road. A handful of mon are anxiously stamping out any spread of the flames beyond the shelter belt which fringed the road. The pastures, in their tinder-dry condition, need only a spark to make for an enormous conflagration that would involve miles of fertile country. Powerless to check the devastating spread of the flames, E. L. Burr, a sliaremilker at Newstead, watched his home being reduced to ashes when enormous peat fires spread over the property last evening. The farm, which is owned by G. Cro«siey, of Rukuhia, has been turned iti'o an arid waste as a result of the steady advance of flames from an adjoining swamp. The peat fire menaces a thousand acres in the Newstead district. Much land of a swampy nature extends from tlie railway line to tlie main HamiltonMorrinsville road. Settlers have been compelled to remove their stock and leave their homes to the mercy of the advancing fires at tlie end of Clay Road, which runs far into the swamp from the main highway. Crossley’s property of 400 acres has been devastated and is surrounded by wasted, arid peat. Only about fifty acres of pasture remain. The remaining 350 acres is a treacherour smoking desert upon which it is safe for none to trespass. Yesterday Mr. and Mrs. Burr were powerless to fight the spread of tlie flames, and they were compel led to remove their furniture and other belongings and take refuge in a wbare in a more secure portion of the farm. Mr. Burr was not prepared to lose his home without a struggle, and. for hours he toiled in the smoke and heat to check tlie advance of the fire by digging a deep trench. This was of no avail, and the flames passed inexorably on. Soon it became impossible to approach the house on account of a deep layer of burning peat. While lie watched his House being razed to tlie ground he also set about tlie more practical task of saving other buildings on 'he farm. At tlie time strenuous efforts are being made to save the milking shed, which is in danger.