The Taranaki Bush Fires. List of the Losses. (BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION.) New Plymouth, Jan. 12.

Te Aroha News, Volume III, Issue 137, 16 January 1886, Page 5

The Taranaki Bush Fires. List of the Losses. (BY TELEGRAPH — PRESS ASSOCIATION.) New Plymouth, Jan. 12.

Tt is impossible to give a complete list of losses, as every one in the district has more or less been a sufferer by the fire. It will take some time to get at the actual losses. The number of cattle destroyed and the acreage of grass seed consumed are very Jarge. The following is a list published in the "Herald" on Friday night, but since then there has been a considerable extent of country devastated : —Losses at Stratford ascertained up till Thursday morning : Northcote, bootmaker, house and furniture, £100 ; Sharrock, settler, house valued at £100, furniture saved ; P. Hunter, house and iTurniture, about £100 ; i Stanley, lost house and furniture, and narrowly escaped with his life, loss £200 : Boorman, house and furniture, £200, j total loss ; Taylor, unoccupied four roomed ; houFe, valued £150 ; Moore Bros., house I and every appliance, loss £300 ; Woodroffe, a newiy-married man, new house totally destroyed, loss £200 ; C. T. Saunders, house and contents £150, insured for £40 — thought his house was safe and was giving assistance, then came home and found everything destroyed ; Stanford, bouse and furniture, loss £150 ; Leatham suffered unspeakable privations, and bad to lower his family into a pit to save them, loss £180 ; Kennefdy, total loss of dwelling, £175 ; Kirkpatrick, lost cowsheds, outbuildings, barns, stables, loss £175 ; Hays, outbuildings, value considerable, but not ascertainable ; Branigan, outbuildings and fencing, over £200; Hillßros., dwelling house and furniture, £200 ; Baird, outbuildings, £50; Mehaffey, house and 100 acres of grass seed, loss £300 ; Pitts, dwelling and entire contents, £150 ; M. Moore, house and furniture £150 (house insured) ; T Christiansen, new house totally destroyed, loss not actually known ; Shannon and Turner, contractors for bridge, tent and belongings, and £100 worth of timber ; Mrs Kenny, house and furniture, £100 ; Mrs Friend, house, £75, The bush fires have been enbdued, and all danger may now be said to be over, A telegram came into New Plymouth last night that the fire had broken out at Eltbam, and volunteers from New Plymouth went in a special train, but the fire was not serious and was at once put out. The special engine came in at four o'clock this morning when all was safe. j

A meeting of the Central Relief Committee took place at noon to-day, the Mayor of New Plymouth presiding. I wxs resolved that a telegram should be sent to the Mayors in other parts of the colony, heartily thanking the people for their sym- 1 pathyand offers of aid, and stating that fires were now sinking, and so far as ascertained, the amount locally subscribed would be sufficient. Should further need arise, the Committee will gladly avail itself of the proffer of further aid. It was also suggested that the Hawera committee should co-operate with the central committee in the division of subscription. That committee has engaged Mr Skinner to ascertain the extent of the damage and the probable amount of claims.