CAMBRIAN.

Dunstan Times, Issue 1088, 6 April 1883, Page 3

CAMBRIAN.

(FROM our own correspondent.) April 2nd. For the past few d yys we have ha t very wet weather, accompanied by cold winds and snow on the mountains. This weather is very beneficial for miners, who were greatly in want of w'dt’er, but it will be the very opposite for those farmers who may not yet have finished leading in j but I Understand that the greater part of the crop in the district is in the stack-yard. Speaking of stack-yards, brings me to the disastrous fire which occurred at Mr H. Mee’s farm, and which, by some mistake, was reported as having occurred at B'acks. Beck’s, no doubt, was meant by the reporter, that I believe being tho nearest P.O. MrMeehad a considerable area under crop this year, and after a very harassing harvest had, as ha fondly believed, everything safely stacked on Tues ay last. On the afternoon of the following day, however, fire broke out in the stack-yard, originated, it is believed, by children playing with matches. Mr Mee and all his hands were away from home at the time, and before assistance arrived from the sur rounding (arms, the entire yard was on fire, every stack one mass of living flame, so that any idea of extinguishing with the means at hand was hopeless, a gentle breeze blowing at the time. In the evening, aftethe flames had somewhat subsided, and each stack was a mass of cmde'-, so to speak, the centre of the stacks being still supposed to beaded, an attempt was made to extinguish one stack, with only paital success, which a few of the shearers polled Out and carried beyond reach of tho fire, but so little, that it may he said that the yard is cleaned of both last year’s straw, and the present year’s crop being gone. The greatest sympathy is felt for Mr Mee, the loss to him being a heavy one.