FIRE RAISING.

Otago Witness, Issue 2817, 4 March 1908, Page 6

FIRE RAISING.

Although the damage caused by the fire* which have raged in all parts of the country during the p?st three months haa been small in a monetary sense in proportion to the area visited, it hrs been large enough to cause a demand for more prompt and effective nseisures for dealing with, the fireraisers. There is no doubt that ninetenths of the fires were caused either by wilful or by most culpable carelessness. We read of a man in. bravado throwing down a lighted match upon the dry grass, with the result that before, the fire could! be stopped hundreds of acres of grass, with fencing and other improvements, were destroyed. " Picnic and camping- parties' and children at play were responsible for many outbreaks ; smokers set many a fire alighfi which they were unable or too careless to> extinguish before it became mastery bottles thrown aside acted as tenses, and under the sun's rays caused many fires ; but probably the most serious outbreaks were those which were started by settlers burning the bush or stumps on their hold* ings. In all these cases, except, perhaps, that of the scatterers of bottles, the original tors of the fires appaar to be liable to severe punishment. Wilfully setting fira to a plantation or wood, or any grass, gonee, f&im, or similar vegetation, •is punishable by 14 years' imprisonment with! hard labour, and lighting a, fire and! allowing it to spread may entail a £50 penalty. The amount of the damage done may be recovered in addition. Offenders have hitherto escaped very easily, but it ia safe to say that at the present time, with the enioke of burning bush, grass, fences, dwellings, saw mills, and dairy factories still in our eyes and nostrils, the punishment would be more deterrent. It would be a good thing for the Government to print the provisions relating to fire-rais-ing and exhibit copies in the schools and at railway stations, saleyards, and other public places. Mcny do not know the risk they run in lighting- fires.