DAMAGE NEAR PUTARA.

Otago Witness, Issue 2817, 4 March 1908, Page 32

DAMAGE NEAR PUTARA.

WELCOME RAINFALL. EKETAHTJNA, March 2. The fire at Putara commenced to look serious on Saturday morning. At Foote's mill men have been working night and day fcince Thursday clearing the ground round the mill. The hose was constantly turned on the surroundings. Seven men made a desperate fight, and on Saturday evening a relief party of settlers found them cxi hausted. Some were lying on the ground blinded with smoke. The fires, driven by a strong nor' -westerly wind, raged fieroelv j throughout the district on Saturday and ! Sunday, and a large amount of damage has I been done. Poppel well's sawmill a.t Kaka,-

niki narrowly escaped destruction, three cottages adjoining being destroyed. The sawdust and slab heap is etill burning, and should the wind spring up the mill might yet go. The fires were peculiarly hot in the Atea district. Gardiner's sawmill in this locality is completely destroyed, together with an adjoining cottage. A good deal of the gear was saved. Some timber of the value of £70 was burnt. The owner anticipated closing up the mill this week, as the district 16 cut out. Mrs Legrove, who was in charge of the cookhouse, lost all her 'belongings. The settlers experienced an awful time fighting fires, and many are partially blind*. Mt Chew, who went through a trying time a few weeks back, was compelled to remove further from the house. Several outhouses were demolished. At Putara the settlers went through a thrilling time, and many lost heavily. The employees at^ Footo's mill worked strenuously for five hours to save the mill in intense heat. At midnight on Saturday the cottages caught fire, and were all destroyed. The settlers who came at the call of the mill whistle found the men lying about unable to see, and suffering intense agony. After a hard battle the mill was eventually saved. Several miles of tram line were destroyed, as well as the founda tion of the log-hauler. On Sunday the fire 6pread towards Albertson's mill, and this was soon a heap of debris, nothing whatever being saved. So fierce was the fire in the vicinity that three young men who were in charge had the greatest difficulty in escaping with their lives. The whole of the Putara district is like a new burn. The settlers, beside* undergoing trying experiences, have lost heavily. Hundreds of sheep and 33 T oun.qr cattle are lying about dead, or dying. Nothing could live in the inferno, even rabbits beinc: toasted. Help from outside was impossible, as the fire swept across the thoroughfare for miles. A lad who was sent to Eketahuna on Saturday evening for bandages and -lotion could not get back till mid-day on Sunday. l /The settlers left their homes and took refuge along the bank of the Mangatainoka River. Rain set in at 3 a.m. on Monday, and relieved the situation. Copious rain fell intermittently throughout, the forenoon, and the danger from the fire is now practically all over. The men kept drenching themselves with water in order to be able to keep at work. At midnight the men's huts and stables caught fire, and with the contents were burned. Two miles of tramline are also destroyed. Albertssen's mill is situated in a valley, and wh-n the fire swept up it was recognised there was no chance of saving the place, and the men left. One man 'was overcome by the smoke and had to l~e assisted. The mill and shed* wore completely deetr yed. Gardiner's mill had been kept working night and day cutting the logs on the stands and the waggons were removing timber. When the logs were cut they commenced to dismantle the mill, and most of the .machinery was got away before the mill caught on fire. It blazed up suddenly, and Mr Gardiner had a narrow escape, having to travel through the flames for about a chain. He lost only £70 worth of cut timber. Several settlers' sheds at Putara. were burnt. It ie thought a large number of stock have been destroyed as the carcases of cattle and sheep can be seen lying about thickly. Popplewelrs mill at 'Kakariki was only saved by strenuous exertions. The sawdust and slab heap close to the mill is still smouldering. Three employees' houses have been destroyed, but. the fires have now been checked by a fall of rain. A BLESSING IN DISGTJISIE. (From; Our Own Correspondent.) AUCKLAND, March 2. It appears that the recent bush fires have proved a blessing in disguise to many settlers. Mr Jae Mackenzie (Commissioner of Crown Lands), who is at present visiting the Raglan dis'rrict, states that in that district the fires have cleared thousands of acrca of rubbish which was collected. This was owing to the bad burns after tKe bush was felled. In some places, he says, £1 per acre has been added to the value of the land. Some settlers infinitely prefer their holdings as they are to what they were before the fire. OARTERTON, March 2. Fierce gales have caused a recrudescence of fires on thn hills, the wind driving the flames on the flat. The fire brigade was called out, and saved several homesteads, though one house was destroyed. Mr Charles Arcus's dwelling was burnt, and others suffered by destruction of farm buildings, hay6tacks, etc. It is estimated that the damage will amount to,. £2000. Fears were entertained for the safety of Dalefield, but heavy rain stayed the flames, i EKETAHUNA, March 2. ' The fires have freshened. It is reported that three sawmills are burnt— Gardiner's afc Atea, Albert Hesin's At Putara, and Chase and Morris's at Mangamaire. At Popplewell's mill, Kikariki, the employees' house was burned. Subsequently rain fell. | and checked further danger. j REEFTON, February 29. ' Bush fires on the Progress road are pettinp- serious The Fire Bridage went out. last ni^ht. and succeeded in saving several i houses. There is no sign of rain.