OHINEMURI. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) Paeroa, Friday.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 192, 19 February 1887, Page 2

OHINEMURI. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) Paeroa, Friday.

This ■week it has been been a case of " fire; fire," everywhere, and if it had not been for the steady downpour of rain which commenced on Wednesday morning, there would have been no determining the extent of thfe ravages of that useful but very destructive element. On Monday last a fire wad started somewhere in the neighbourhood of Mr Nicks' farm, which is located north of and close to this township. At first it was of the incipient order, but being fanned by a stiff north-easterly breeze it very soon assumed large proportions, spreading out and travelling through the farms of Messrs Williams and JRobson it consumed every particle of grass and a considerable amount of fencing surrounding two paddocks belonging to those gentlemen. It will take a largo sum of money to replace the fencing alone, and the owners will be obliged to i take' their stock elsewhere because all the plant food has" been utterly destroyed.

KARANGAHAKE. This district has been favoured by a visit from the " Ore king 1 ," who threatened' to wipe out all signs of civilisation in the neighbourhood 'of Ratley's plant yon Sunday last. The fire started some-

where about the darn, and it travelled ,up the side of the spur sweeping everything before it, and leaving nothing but ashes in its wake. If it had not been for the energetic effbftfc put forth >by the residents and employees of tiie mill, the water race belonging thereto would haVe>been destroyed , As it was the flunVittg was burnt through itt several places, and a stoppage of two" days was occafeidhed in effecting repairs. The Crown srfiithy was burnt down, and several whares occupied by Railey's men were" also converted int'd ashes. On the whole, however, the damage is n6t so serious as it otherwise might have been, and this may be attributed to the forethought of Mr Railey, who, when first starting the plant, took the precaution to clear off all the bush surrounding the site. The heaviest item of loss has been that Of firewbod, of which there were about 100 tons cut and stacked leady for use, and of this the bulk ha 3 been consumed. The crushing of 20 ton 9 which is now under treatment at Railey's plant for the Monasleiy mine, should be completed to nis*ht, and a remunerative return is expected. Moore and party and Hogg And party have taken two sections of the Kenilvvorth mine on tribute, and they will start breaking quartz on Monday next. Twenty tons of first class stone is now ready for transit from the Diamond mine for treatment at Railey's mill, and a phenomenal return is expected. The several parties of trihuters in fche Woodstock mine are pushing on with the work of developing their respective sections, and they will undoubtedly render a good account of themselves very shortly. Five tons of quartz has been sent from the Adeline mine to Railey's plant, where it will bo dealt with early next week.

OWHAROA. Mr Greenville, from Thames, lias taken up a 30-arce claim, and proceeds forthwith to prospect it. He lias three old hands with him, and the claim is to be called the " Me anJ Rowe."