Rangiwahia Notes.

Feilding Star, Volume XV, Issue 250, 27 February 1894, Page 3

Rangiwahia Notes.

1 i'P.OM A CORUEBIONDEXT j For some days last week the town of Feilding was partially enveloped in dense clouds of smoke, and a strauger would wonder where it all came from. On Thursday last when I w« nt into the back blocks, the cause was soon revealed, ns i not only was thers smote, but plenty 6f fire, the warm breath from which was painfully felt when the heated atmosphere was inhaled. The bush fires each side of the ' roads leading to Rangiwahia had communicated the flames to the grass, and they consumed everything before thorn. The dry timber which had been felled months ago gave out intense heat, so in order to escape being partially roasted, I stuck spurs into my steed, and, with tightly closed lips, galloped through the emoke and flames. I noticed that Mr A. Mcßeth had securod •« a good burn," but Mr Hyde was not so fortunate. Tha weather up here has besn hot and dry for some considerable time, but the grass has kept beautifully green, providing abundant food for stock. The weather has now changed and a pleaenut downfall of refreshing showers of raiu will enable those who bo desire to get in their grass sned. Some have already commenced sowing. Last Friday the children attending our school lield their annual picnic in Marshall's clearing. A number of adults assisted, and a most enjoyable dav was spent On Saturday last the royal mail coach, driven by the ev^r popular >am Daw, was unable to get through to Rangiwahia on account of the numbers of trees which had been burned through and fallen across the road, out on Sunday he succeeded in com J pleting the journey. This is the first time Mr Daw has been hindered, and the same cannot possibly occur again — at least from the same cause. Mr Daw is generally equal to all emergencies, and it is on record that he once took his coach to pieces and carried it, in sections, over the ob- j structions. But burning logs have to be treated with more respect.