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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIV, Issue 2, 2 January 1879, Page 2

A Napiertefegik&.lo)tlie JPofijot Monday says :— A fire has been raging for past, two days between Waipqkurau and WaipaWa/ on the property of the Ijoni, Henry Russell. The fire originated through a spark frour one of tfed railway^ engines. Such wa3 the danger on Tharsday that fears were 'entertained for the safety of Waipukurau, and the residents bad to exertf themselves vigorously to avert the impending calamity. So intense, was the heat on i the railway carriage platform that the passengers had to beat a retreat into the carriage. The dried up grass was blazing furiously, and on the journey to Waipawa the driver was almost forced to bring the engine to a stand-still, i Daring Saturday the area of fire extended, ! and now the bush on the south side of the Waipawa River is in flames. The fire has reached close to the edge of Waipawa River, I and the houses on the south bank are in < imminent danger of destruction. Whole j paddocka of feed have been destroyed, and Mr Russell must be a considerable loser. However as there is not the slightest difficulty in | tracing the origin of the fire, it is probable i that the Government will be called upon to make good the loss. Two houses have been burned, and others had to be deserted. The fire is still spreading in the direction of Harding's, of Mount Vernon. On the Maori settlement the natives have cleared I out of their whares, and have sought refuge in the church.—The grass fires on Purvis Russell's estates, VVaipukurau, have been much more disastrous than at first believed. In addition to a large paddock of rye grass saved for seed there has been destroyed so large a portion of feed on the run as to necessitate an immediate reduction of stock. Four thousand sheep and forty head of cattle have at once to be disposed of, as there is now no grass to keep them. The following Sydney telegram appears in the Post:— The reported attempt to murder the officers of the steamer Wotonga proves to have been founded npooa misapprehension, the shots being fired by a resident in the locality indicated, who was practising with a revolver at a mark. The bullets flew wide, and narrowly missing the officers on board the steamer, gave rise to the impression that an attempt was being made by anti-Chinese emissaries to create a panic by killing some of the A.S.N. Company's officers.^ J The Anti-Chinese immigration movement (says the N. Z. Times) ispraceeding'apace, and the subcommittee appointed to'collect' subscriptions for the^relie! of the seamen on strike, are t by no meains idle. :It is proposed ( to start a shilling subscription, and probably ! the sub-committee when it meets will discuss : the point. A scheme for a Vesuvius rail way,, similar to that constructed for the ascent of the Righi, has been.: approved by the Superior | Council of f üblic Works at Naplea.