BUSH FIRES.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXIII, Issue 9081, 22 February 1908, Page 8

BUSH FIRES.

SECOND EDITION.

TERRIBLE EXPERIENCE OP SETTLERS. Press Association. Auckland, Februaary 23. Tho Star reporter writing from Taumaranui says that at the end of Pipipi road, is the place of Mr Davis. He and his daughter had a terrible time. 'They were sitting down -to dinner when warning came of the fire. They hardly had time to get out of the house before the standing bush a few chains from the house was a wall of flame. They and a neighbour Mrs Coutts) who was burned’* right out just managed to race along the road about a quarter of a mile and found refuge iu a big culvert, when tho flames followed them and literally enveloped the whole neighbourhood. Smoke came through the culvert, which was big enough for the man to walk iu as through a chimney. It was only by bathing their faces continually iu water running under their feet that they were able to be&r'tlie awful pain. They were iu this terrible plight nearly eight hours and only rescued after dark. Oddly enough Davis’ house was not burned, although the adjacent woolshed, haystack, fencing and other buildings were reduced to ashes. A few hundred yards past the junction on Ohura road lives Connelly, whose woolshed was burned and who lost a considerable number of stock. He and his household took refuge in a good-sized stream, with high banks which runs through the section. Even here they were not safe. Frequently their clothing caught fire from sparks and it was only by dashing water on one another that they escaped with their lives. A little girl named Cora, about seven or eight years old, suffered frightfully. They were in the creek for about six hours till the Are abated somewhat after darkness. No wonder that the child and mother were smoke blind and quite helpless for a couple of days after. New Plymouth, February 23. Nice showers fell iu some parts of the Taranaki district this'morning and more rain seems probable. The situation with regard to bush fires is much easier.