The Reatihi Fire.

Taihape Daily Times, 27 March 1918, Page 4

The Reatihi Fire.

a scene of devastation.

SOME INCIDENTS BY THE

(By our Special Representatives^

RAETIHI, March 26

Wind and fire are grand servants but bitter enemies. Such is the thought that passes through one’s’ mind on arrival at Raetihi, after viewing the desolate places where once stood beautiful houses. In some places buildings as many as six in number were burnt —three on each side and the seventh untouched. One settler battled with his place for hours, when the fire caught the corner of t&3 house he gave up the fight in despair, and left his house to its doom. Returning next day he was astonished to see it still standing, only the corner being burned. Mr. Alf Fox, late of Taihape, had a great fight. He called his wife and children to see the lovely spectacle of the burning trees in the distance They then retired to bed, and within a quarter of an hour sparks were flying under the door, and then the fight, began. Wrapping the children in blankets he put them in as safe a place as possible. With expand rake he set out to keep the fire in check, but after a very strenuous time he had' to lay down for fifteen minutes. In the meantime the fire got into a wood heap stacked against the wash-house attached to the house. Thinking the prospect of saving the house was hopless he attempted to get his family away, but found to his dismay they were surrounded by fire, with little prospect of escape. So with the assistance of his wife the fight for their lives commenced. Fortunately a lull in the wind came, and they managed to stem the fire, eventually saving the house after a severe fight. A prominent feature of Raetihi is a big tent erected by the Y.M.C.A, for the shelter of the homeless The Salvation Army is prominent in the work of assistance

Mr. J. EEaton, late of Taihape, was one of the lucky ones, in fact, very lucky. He was trying to get a house, but the only one available was too large for him Another client also wanterd the same house, but Mr. Eaton had secured it. However, they struck & bargain; Mr. Eaton was to let him have the house on condition a smaller was found for him. A week before the fire the bargain was ratified, and during the fire the largo house was burnt to the ground, -while Mr. Eaton’s smaller house esca^jt. It is the general opinion that had the local constable been in town many places would have been saved, as quite a number of men left for Ohakune by the Belief trains, leaving the town to its fate. Had he'mot been on duty in the country he could- have organised' the men into gangs of ■ fire-fighters, and probably saved many houses. Reference is often made to the spirit of the boys at the front, but such is not to be wondered at when you see the men and women about here, homeless, walking away with their bundles of goods, boots blankets, etc., with the usual smile and the right spirit to start again and get back all they have lest.

Eaetihi has much to thank the railway service for, as the* relief trains saved many casualties, especially women and children from suffocation. Should the wind again rise there would still be danger of a renewal of the fire, but i£ this did occur the town would be better organised to meet it. Last night a concert was held at Ohakune for the benefit of the Firo Belief Fund. Mr. Barry, the Mayor, opened the concijrt with a few remarks stating that newspaper reports of the fire were considered to be greatly exaggerated and ghastly, but irreality they were not near the xnark_ He could not express in words the gruesomd scenes he had witnessed during his tour of the devastated districts, Sheep in thousands and cattle in hundreds had been burnt. Continuing, the speaker said that as far as could be ascertained the damage sustained by the settlers would easily reach $250,000 He also wished to draw attention to the ■ good wmrk done by the Y.M.C A. and the Salvation Army. Brigadier Carmichael had hastened from Auckland, and with the usual foresight had brought tents and six carpenters with him Not only did they supply the tents, but they supplied the men to erect them.

It is reliably estimated that the damage in Rae,tihi township alone will aggregate £50,000.