BUSH AND GRASS FIRES.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 32, 28 January 1908, Page 2

BUSH AND GRASS FIRES.

DESTRUCTION IN NELSON DISTRICT. Per Press Association.

Nelson, Monday. Saturday was one of the worst days for fires yet experienced. H. Baigent's sawmill at Aorcre, with 20,0001't of timber, Haldane's dairy, Baiuham's place (with milking machine), and F. Baigent's Sawmill at Pigeon Valley were destroyed. Other settlers lost in various ways. Fires also revived in other localities. Sparks from an engine started grass fires at Waiiti, and 2000 acres were burned. At Croixcllcs, the settlers and Maoris had hard work to save the pah.

Later. Takaka Long Plains creamery was destroyed by a hush lire this morning. I There were no insurances.

LATER NEW.S. CONSIDERABLE DESTRUCTION. Nelson, Last Night. Reports of destruction by bush fires are still coming to hand. At upper 'Minor the dwelling-house of A. I'hilli]is, junior, was burned on Saturday evening. The lire is still burning in this neighborhood, and tlie settlers along the line have packed their movable effects and are ready to leave at short notice. At Korere the country for miles on each side of the road is ablaze. E. Newport's

homestead at, Korere is in great danger, district settlers arc very anxious owing to a serious outbreak in that locality. A number of slice]) were overtaken by the lire while Ticlng 'driven along the road at Dovedale to a place of safety, and were destroyed. MePhedran Bros.' homestead at Kohatu was burned this morning. A large sum in bank-notes was also destroyed. There was no insurance on the contents, but the building was insured for £2OO in the Commercial Union. I

IN STRATFORD DISTRICT. A representative of the Stratford Post visited the locality of the grass and bush tires in the vicinity ot Bird and Robsou roads on Sunday, and found the fires still burning, having swept over all the holdings round about with the exception of that of Mr Charlton Robsons', which has so far escaped, although not yet out of danger. The burning country presents a most, desolate and blackened appearance, and evidences the fact that the settlers must have had an anxious time, the lire in several cases iiaving swept right round their dwellings.

The burnt area covers something like two thousand acres or more, and in places is still burning fiercely. Owing to the many changes of the 'wind lately, the tires have .spread in all directions. They are confined more to the stumps and logs than the grass, although owing to the quantity of dry timber lying about, it has cleared some of the hold' ings of every vestige of feed, and settlers will in all probability have no alternative but to dispose of their stock. It is said that the fires in this locality were started by a settler tiring a portion of fallen bush on his property, but owing to a high wind the fire caught adjoining bush and spread rapidly, and has been burning for about ten days. ;

The house occupied by a settler named Pettit, whieh was destroyed by the fire on Thursday last, is only a short distance from where the fires first com ; menccd. Mr Pettit succeeded in fighting the flames until Thursday, when the building eaugjlit fire. Tihe sheds and pigstyes, however, were saved. Tho housc was insured in the New Zealand Insurance Office for £2OO, and contents in the State office for £l5O. The fire swept over the whole of this settler's holding, with the exception of a few acres, on which the whole of his stock is now running. Burning trees, portions of which continue to fall, will be a source of danger for some time.

On Saturday Mr Rogers' house, which is closely surrounded by a large quantity of fallen hush, was in danger, but unless the fire takes a fresh hold, the house will escape. The fire, however, swept all round the dwelling, and is still burning in patch es. One of the settlers stated that the turning country, viewed from a neigh-. boring hill by night was a. sight worth seeing, arid not likely to be forgotten. Trunks of trees on the roadside are burning furiously, and the dense volumes of smoke are most unpleasant to travellers along the road. The fires, although very destructive, and causing considerable losses to settlers in many ways will have done good by clearing a large area of the land of the dead timber, and next season settlers will have a considerably larger area producing grass, which will in part compensate for the loss caused to the settlers by the large decrease in the milk supply that lias heen experienced since the commencement of the fires. T)espite the very long spell of dry weather, the country between Stratford and the locality in which the bush fires Have been so destructive, is looking re- 1 mark'alily well, and the grass still has a fresh appearance.