Disastrous Fires

Kawhia Settler and Raglan Advertiser, Volume IV, Issue 348, 14 February 1908, Page 2

Disastrous Fires

ROUviD A 3 JUT KAWHIA ‘ ha Thole of the Distriot Aliotht. THE DAMAGE RUNS INTO THOUSANDS. SETTLERS HOMELESS. FURTHER LOSSES PREDICTED During our residence in Kawhia it has never.before been our duty to record such Rtiiious losses as have been experienced in this district daring the past week, and we regret to add that from latest reports received it appears that the danger is not yet over —in fact it is predicted tha* tho worst has yet to come—and unless a change in the weather takes place almost immediately there is no donbt that that prophesy will be t£ue. Tbere has been a very dry summer this year, and almost every settleotook full advantage thereof to clear as much of his section as possible, therefore fires have been freely lit. TE RAU-A-MOA. Last week at Te Rau-a-moa there was considerable danger but that was overcome by bard work and indomitable pluck on the part of the settlers. It was thought that tbe outbreaks ware well in hand, but on Wednesday last tbe wind sprang up from tbe East, and before it coaid be realised almost the whole of the settlement was in flames. At Douglas and Parkinson’s tbe fires were perhaps the severest, and be’-e admirable work was done. By almost superhuman effirts tbe residences ware saved, but the former bad bis rec mtly-erected cow-abed destr and only ju t git bis n w sepitator out in time. Toe Messrs Parkinson and D ju’glas bad to remove their be longings from the house. , and worked so bard in tbo smoke tba, they were ♦ff ctsd, nucei'Va’i ig Dr 0 impbell Jenkmu’ attention, who reports t.hit 'hey are progressing favourably At tbe other end of Te Rtu-a m >a the fire was aho save e, ? »ing through the siad ling bu-b near Wib?v’s with great rapidly Li Pcvj’a ojomm -dtti >n h in<o bad t • be wi rhel very car. fully ar.u i b >dy of men w j re bard at it ke ping the fluid b<c!c. Orm hv’s residence, which is al>o the poet office, was also attne'/ d, tho fence catching fire four times, whilst the cow rhed was partly destroyed, Tne damage is r«ry great including stunk, fenotug-, and g"*” It” ‘tated that on account of th« fi- p s the fac ory will have to

close- Further details cannot be obtained. OPARAU. If Te Rau a moa settlers bad a bad time, what can be said of Oparau, where damage is far greater and tbe fires more severe. On Wednesday at noon, the wind commenced to blow from the East, and brought the fire from the direction of Pirongia on the settlers there. Along the Okupata road it swept down with the velocity of a racehorse, and it can only be gratefully said that this report is Dot headed “ Fatal Fires,” for some of the escapes were indeed miraculous. To take the holdings m rotation we start at Davies’. Heru the fire was not so severe, yet the losses include stock, grass and fencing. Armstrong, senr„ has so far go’: off remarkably well, his property being hardly touched. The Troughton Brothers were severe lowers. They and R. Anderson were employed shearing when the fire was noticed near tbe whare. Dave went thereto .and had just got inside and picked up a watch, when like a volcano the building burst into flame, and he just managed to get out before it was demolished. The fire surrounded him, cutting him off from the others, and it was not until 8 o’clock at night that he got away, nearly blinded and with the clothes he was wearing burned and scorched to shreds. How he escaped is marvellous, as be was wandering aimlessly about amidst tbe fires for all those hours. His brother and Anderson got the sheep away and drove them along tbe road to Armstrong’s. Tbe whole of the fencing was destroyed, besides 700 or 800 acres of grass, and not even a suit of clothes was saved—all (hat they had on Wednesday night being a pair of dungarees and a singlet each and a watch.’ Tbe fire travelled through the green bu-'h aid on to Bell’s. These settl-ra sent the woman folk to Offt-au, and stopped b hind themselves, but the bouse a mid n<.t be saved, th'nigh a few of the c intents were. This family lo«' st’Ck, bone, ou’bn;’dmg« f fencing and grus. M’lntnsb’s h>«usa was i quite a Ling time, bo h be and bi wife d >ing an’-•♦.cli 1 w >rk, biv it was »f no avail. T l piano wa-i token ou and buried in i he garden, whrre it nnw is, whilst sortie lint n w sent away in Scbreibiir’s WAggin. Everything was but tini sleek wpro savnd Clarson ’aft his new house as d lonrxi. but on some men returning later thf-y were surprised to find that it was etill ■anding. but was th«n just igniting. This outbreak was quickly checked. The sheds an old house, fencing grass and stock were all destroyed. Iley wood Armstrong had bis sawmill, which was situated on Troughton’s property, destroyed, but managed to save the engine, saws, belts and jacks. Between 7000 ft. and 8000 ft. of timber, which wafl cut and stacked, was burned, beside many logs, flitches and some tram line. All tbe other settlers lost grass and fencing, and as the wind was high when we went to press several of tbe houses are still its jeopardy. Along the Pirongia West road tbe fires were also very severe, and we learn that they ace becoming wotae.

Wright 10-u bis whare and contents f DC g. ffrass and str ek, whiht T. B Sc.Ht suffered heavily. None jf tbe re ide' O'-a have been desrroyed, but the I les of stock is very g ea\ it being repor ed that Elliott, BOO °heep, Mre Perham 200 and Newton Bros, a like number. AWAROA. Here ihe fires only did dam ge to fencing and grass, though even that is quite severe enough. KAWAROA. This (Friday) morning a big fire sprang up on Mountfort’s farm, about 100 acres of grass being destroyed and, it is feared, sheep. KINOHAKU. The firss here are just becoming serious, and it is feared much damage will result. Neville’s place has been swept, but tbe house was saved. H. Dsrecourt has ail his furniture and effects in tbe middle of the road, whilst several others have packhnrees ready saddled to remove their families and belongings. The school at the junction is threatened, and if the present wind keeps up Kinohaku will be annihilated.

The Government is to be approached to render assistance to the unfortuuate r in this district. That the case is des.rving will be recognised, when we state that >he damage in tbe Oparau and Te R iu-a moa districts is estimated at £20,000. Unless assistance is forthcoming many of the settlers are ruined.