With Crackling Roar

Evening Star, Issue 19788, 11 February 1928, Page 11

With Crackling Roar

"Mount Te Aroha Afire Again Whole Town Out Fighting / Water Supply in Danger [Per United Press Association.] HAMILTON, February 11, The fire which raked the slopes of Mount Te Aroha on Thursday burst forth again last evening, after a lull which had lasted most of the day. The fire soon assumed alarming proportions, necessitating the desperate measure of calling upon the whole town for assistance.

At 4.30 p.m. u. stiff breeze sprang up and fanned the ruined slopes anew, and at 6.30 p.ra., with a crackling roar, the last face of Bald Spur burst into tlamc. It was a stiff battle, but by 8.30 p.m. the workers had achieved their object, and although a further large area, of scrub, bracken, and litrcc bush had been devastated, the lower reaches of the catchment area, and Bald Spur summit itself, which would have bunted like tinder, were saved. The fresh outbreak was right in the water supply catchment area, and threatened the town’s already depleted supply.

COUNTER FIRE CHECKS FLAMES

AUCKLAND, February 11. In spite of all efforts, the desperate remedy had to bo adopted of tiring an area running parallel with the town’s water supply mains. This served as a fire stop, but the position towards midnight was still critical. The catchment area is stilla roaring furnace, and if a gale comes up the tight to save Te Aroha’s beauty spots—the mountain and domain—will bo a stern one. [To Aroha is one of the most favored health resorts of the dominion in the thermal springs district of Auckland province. Mount To Aroha (Mountain of Love) rises at the back of the town to 3,126 ft; it is (or was) covered with native bush.]