PORT PHILLIP.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 592, 5 April 1851, Page 3

PORT PHILLIP.

[From the Maitland Mercury, Feb. 22.] We have received Port Phillip papers to the 11th February. The whole province had suffered from fearfully destructive bush fires, which raged worst on Thursday, the 6th, assisted by a furious hot wind (it was also a hot wind day in the Hunter district). Vast numbers of sheep, cattle, and horses, had been destroyed, and the loss in grain of all kinds, principally wheat, is counted by thousands of bushels ; inquests had also been held on the bodies of nine persons up to the 9th February, and several more were missing and reported dead. The papers are filled with the particulars, but report that it is impossible to give any accurate account of the losses. One of the inquests was particularly melancholy ; the station of a stockholder named M'Lelland was completely destroyed on the 6th, and close to his house perished his wife and five children, while he himself was so fearfully burnt in trying to save one of the children that his recovery was very doubtful. A public meeting had been announced for the 11 th at Geelong, to commence a public subscription for the numerous sufferers, numbers of whom

[were reduced to absolute want who the dav [before had been comfortable graziers and farmers. The following extracts comprise a portion only of the details given :— ■ Frightful Destruction by Bush jFires.—As we anticipated would be the [case, each succeeding hour brings intelligence of additional ravages by bush fires on [Thursday. In the Western Port district (he [fires have been particularly destructive, everything upon the station of Mr. Burke being [entirely consumed. Messrs. Cahill, Fennes[*y» Neville, and Dr, Bathe, are also severe K "offerers; and it was rumoured that Mrs. atbe bad pesished in the flames—but we [cannot trace this to any authentic source. At [the Pentridge, Hills Mr. Bloke’s woolshed, [containing a large amount of property, was [entirely destroyed ; and Mr. T. H. Pyke, it ds stated, is a loser to the extent of £l5OO. ■Other casualties we hear of are as follows :— Mr, Neil Black, 2000 (not 3500) sheep. Mr. Grey, (late of Giey and Marr) 300 sheep and a bush hut, Mr. Ware, (near Mr. Elephant) [lOOO sheep and haystack, Mr, Cole’s wool [shed. A wool shed at Fyan’s Ford. Mr. [Blowe, store and contents, valued at least at |£looo. Mr. Greene, Woodlands house and [farm produce. A report is in circulation, [which we fear is too true, that two thousand liof Mr. Moffatt’s sheep at the Grange have been destroyed by a bush fire, Messrs. Grey pnd Marr, it is also stated, have lost three [thousand sheep, and Mr. Ritchie, near Mount [Napier, the whole of his crop by a similar accident, — Daily News, Feb. 8. | Bush Fires.—ln addition to the other [calamities arising from the recent fires, we gnny mention that Mr. Ingles, of Inglestin K° ; st 40 - 00 B^ee P> an d with the exception of |, residence, every building on his station, Including his store with about £5OO worih of goods therein. At Ballan, too, the flames | estroyed a considerable quantity of property, P n a hundred tons of hay belonging to the Ip ' lcatl, W® regret to hear that Mr. T. a £ reat su ff erer ’ —Daily News,

The Fires, —More particulars of these calamities begin to drop in. We hear that on the Goulburn Messrs. Tootal have been burnt out, losing 1400 sheep ; as also Mr. George Airey, Miss Gavin, J. W. Budd. In Kilmore eighteen farms have been devastated, and an immense quantity of grain and hay burnt. A vast quantity of feed has been destroyed. Stock of every description must suffer severely. The roads are described as being completely blocked up with pieces of burnt timber, and the mail had considerable difficulty in travelling, especially during the night.— Daily News, Feb. 11.

Geelong.—On the Barrabool Hills the house, barns, stables, &c., seven buildings in all, belonging to Mr. Holmes, with all his stacks and fences, were utterly destroyed. It was at this point that the fire crossed the river. Mr. Bennett's stacks and fences are destroyed, as are also those of Mr. Heard. Mr. Fisher’s house was saved, the whole of his crops destroyed. Mr. Thomas has lost his house, stacks, fences, and implements, including a very valuable thrashing machine. On Mrs. Wilson’s farm everything is destroyed ; but the report of her death, prevalent yesterday, is incorrect. She is living in the house of her neighbour, Mr. Leigh, one of the few whose premises escaped destruction. Mr. Michael Holian has had everything destroyed, but succeeded in saving one stack. Mr. Furlong’s stacks and fences are burnt; Mrs. Furlong was severely burnt, and her injuries may be fatal. Mr. Honey’s house escaped destruction on Thursday, but took fire yesterday afternoon, and was totally consumed. At Mr. Hooper’s, on the Waurn Ponds, the houses, barns, stacks, fences, and implements were all destroyed, and three lives lost. At Mr. Simmons’s everything is lost, as is also the case at Mr. Powell’s. Mr. Dewing, with other losses, had a newly erected fence burnt. But we cannot even enumerate the names of all the sufferers. We have bad no precise information about the vineyards. It is reported that Belperoud’s is partially destroyed, Petavil’s is safe. The following is a brief summary of the other losses on the west side of the Moorabool:—Mr. Kimber, crops and fence destroyed ; Mr. Paget, barn, pigs, wheat, flour, &c., —being a cripple he was carried out on his wife’s back; Mr. Armstrong, burnt out; Mr. Lynch, house, crops, and everything destroyed; Mr. Mullins, burnt out; M. A. Manning, hay-stack, fence, &c., destroyed ; Mr. Reynolds, house and everything destroyed.— Geelong Advertize'.