AUSTRALIAN BUSH FIRES.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXIII, Issue 9057, 23 January 1908, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN BUSH FIRES .

GREAT DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY. THRILLING SCENES. Press Association—Copyright. Melbourne, January 22. During six successive days of heat, 58 patients, suffering from the effects, have been admitted to the hospital and 15 ’died. The total number of deaths for the State from heat is 100. A great bush fire is raging in the Oolac district. The town narrowly escaped being swept. The Anglican church, a store, and a dwelling were destroyed. Two men named Poiver and Lucas rode through a veritable sea of fire and rescued a woman named Clapham and three children, all more or loss burned. Nearly 10*0 persons at Beach Forest are temporarily blind through the effects of smoke. The seaside town of Anglesea, 36 miles from Geelong, has been partially destroyed by a fire which still rages. A church, the post office, several private residences, and a boardinghouse were burned. The flames leaped the river and partially destroyed the bridge. Forty settlers have been burned out in South Gippsland. In the Lenthorpe district over 150,000 acres of grass, 10,000 sheep and miles of fencing have been destroyed. I At Rivernook many large dairy farms are almost completely swept away. Lome is threatened and the inhabitants are removing their effects.

A party visiting the Phantom Falls was surrounded by fire, and rescued with the greatest difficulty. Two men were burned to death at Wangaruip, and a child at Mt. Sabin. The Hinemoa ran ashore in a dense smoke obscuring the laud. She took ground gently, and the captain is hopeful of refloating her, but the local residents, who know the place, think the vessel’s plight is hopeless. A house in which an infant was sleeping caught fire near Stawell. A woman rushed to rescue the baby, but she dropped dead and perished. Received Jan. 23, 10.24 a,.m. Hobart , January 28. Bushfires have isolated the West Coast'for some days past. A number of mining 'camps round Zeehan have been destroyed. Sydney, January 23. South Coast farmers are in due straits through want of rain. Sydney’s milk supply is threatened, and the price, has been raised to Gd a quart. ,