KAWHIA.

King Country Chronicle, Volume II, Issue 70, 21 February 1908, Page 3

KAWHIA.

The bush fires have been burning all round .Kawhia for some weeks, but to the.'" being no wind, did no l£rm till Wednesday, when a string easterly wind sprang up and drove the fire down on to the settlers houses. Messrs C. and H. Bell, Macintosh and Troughtcn Bros, lost their houses and most of the belongings, besides sheep and cattle; Mr son's house was but his iences and anumber of sheep were burnt; Mr Elliott is said to have lost over a thousand sheep, and several others have lost sheep and cattle ; Mr H. Armstrong's new sawmill was burnt. Altogether the losses are considerable and if the dry weather continues further losses from fire are almost sure to take place. Te R.au-a-moa settlers are also heavy losers, and two of the settlers are almost blind from the effects of the smoke, necessitating the attendance of Dr Jenkins. Since writing the above the fire spread along the Pirongia "West road, and the settlers have had to work night and day to save their houses. I hear that several houses at l e Rau-a-moa have been burnt. The Governor was expected here on Thursday, and the Kawhia people decorated the town and wharf with greenery and flags. The Tutanekai arrived off the mouth of the harbour about mid-day, but owing to thick smoke was unable to come in.

On Friday morning the Waitangi found Ithe smoke so dense that she had to wait two hours outside before it was clear enough to see the beacons.