BUSH AND GRASS FIRES.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 33, 29 January 1908, Page 2

BUSH AND GRASS FIRES.

SAWMILL DESTROYED.

Per Press Association. Nelson, Tuesday. News has just been received that Robertson Bros.' sawmill at Rai Valley has been burnt down. There was no insurance. v The value of the mill was £2OOO. There, was not much timber on the site, but valuable buildings and plant. It is unknown how much has been saved.

With regard to the supposed burning of Roberston liros.' mill at Kai Valley, the news came from Havcloek, but lacks confirmation. A traveller from Eai at Wangamoa said there had been no fire. Further particulars arc being sought.

THE OUTLOOK GLOOMY AND DIS QUIETENING.

UNFORTUNATE FARMERS' PLIGHT

Nelson, Last Night. The position with regard to the bush fires remains about the same. There/ is no appearance of rain, and the only *avbrable circumstance has been the absence of a high wind. If a strong wind does arise there is every probabi-j lity of vast and widespread disaster. Several homesteads in the Upper Motupiko Valley are still threatened. Others only have been saved by most strenuous efforts on the part of hands of workers. One crippling effect of the grass fires on small settlers is that they have no feed left for their stock, and are selling sheep at less than half value. There is no alternative except to keep and starve them.

The continued drought is having tv prejudicial effect on large fruit, which is not filling as it. shovtld, -while of those, in the ripening stage, large quantities are falling off. Altogether the outlook in the hack districts is gloomy and disquietening. Many of the helpers have sustained slight burns, and there are several cases of smolte blindness.