BUSH FIRES.

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

BUSH FIRES.

DAMAGE IN THE NELSON DIS- - TRIOT. Per Press Association. Nelson, Jan. 22. Yesterday was the worst day yet with the fires. In the Wangapeta and Motueka Valleys a strong southeasterly breeze blew, and the smouldering bush burst into flames. A wall of fire came up and down Tadmor Hills towards Tapawera. Two thousand acres of grass at Wangapeka were destroyed, and new settlers are greatly concerned how to feed their stock, as no feed is left. Fortunately a change of wind in the afternoon drove back the fir®, or th;o*?ands of acres of dry feed across the rivers would have been destroyed. The rivers are lower than they have been for many years. The Tadmore river is dry in many places, and all over the district trout are dying in thousands. Several, fish, six and eight pounds w r ere rescued from drying pools. Nearly seven hundred trout were removed from a brook at Nelson to Maitai, and hundreds in the country districts were similarly saved. The principal sufferers in the Wangapeka and Motueka Valleys are Messrs Goodall, Moffat, Wells, Hodgkinson, Smith, Paul, Drew, and Griffiths. The sky is cloudy and the weather moderately bool, but the rain holds off. The fires round Nelson, Wangamoa, andjMaungatapu have blackened the hills " and filled the town with smoke. Baigent’s sawmill at Pigeon Valley, in the Wai-iti district, was burnt down yesterday. Nelson ,Last Night.

Bush and grass fires are still burning in all parts of the districts. Another and more serious outbreak is reported to have occurred to-day in the Whangapeka and settlers are out defending their homes and stock. The fruit growers in the Motueka and Takaka districts will be heavy losers by the drought, most of the crops, especially of raspberries, being utterly ruined.

MANAGER’S THRILLING EXPERIENCE.

Eketahuna, Jan. 22. The wind changed from the south last night to the north-west again, and the fires, which had eased, are now freshening. A large area of grass has been burnt, and the fences are destroyed at Mangaoronga. The cheese factory at Nireaha is still threatened.

The youth reported to be missing turned up safely at Newman. Mr Chew, manager of the Nireaha factory, had a thrilling experience. He went to the school to get a spade, and the door jammed when he was in the building. He was unable to get out for some time, and when he forced his way out, he was surrounded by fire. He dug a small hole and curled himself up in it. He had to stay in this position for five hours before he was rescued in a dazed condition. Meantime he was being searched for in the ruins of his house, which was burnt. The fire is again approaching Rongokakako factory. Large fires are reported in the Ihuraau district. The whole district was covered with smoke early this morning, and it was so thick that it was impossible to see for a distance of more than half a chain. A large volume of fire is approaching Eketahuna, and it will be dangerous if the wind alters more to the west. The country roadman was watching the bridges all last night. Several caught alight yesterday, but were extinguished on Saunders road. At Alfredton Mr Burling lost a thousand acres of grass, and a lot of sheep. Mrs Owen lost her woolshed and contents. At Putara the fires are fierce, and the settlers are working night and day. An old house, owned by Mr G.A ndersou, was burnt, and a new one caught alight several times, but was saved. Many people in the borough are carting water for daily use, and most of the tanks are dry. There are no indications of rain. Napier, Last Night. Bush and grass fires at Pohui, Puketitiri and other places in the vicinity completely enveloped Napier in a cloud of smoke this morning quite obscuring the sun, which shone through the haze like a red ball of lire. No damage of any extent to dwellings or property is reported, except at Norsewood, where five farms in the Ngamoko Valley, and two bridges on the main road, between Ngamoko and Norsewocd, have been burned and grave fears are entertained for the safety of the creamery, Oohr’s sawmill, and many others of the settlers’ homes. Wairoa, January 23, ‘ is obscured with dust and smoke from Hawke’s Bay fires. CONFLAGRATION IN CANTERBURY. Christchurch, Last Night. A tremendous bush fire is raging on the Cora Lynn Estate, Bealey, sweeping the country for miles. The homestead and woolshed were threatened, but were saved by a sudden change of wind. The fire is posed to have originated by a fire lighted by passengers stuck up at Bealey by a flood in the Waimakariri last week, which has been smouldering ever since.