BUSH AND GRASS FIRES.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 49, 17 February 1908, Page 2

BUSH AND GRASS FIRES.

BANWTIKJSi DISTRICT IN FLAMES. Per Press Association. I Fcilding, Saturday. The Kiwitea County Council met at' 1 !) o'clock this morning. The Council sin for only two hours, to enable the councillors to get home and protect their properties from the bush lires. Councillor Guthrie stated that in the Ruahine district the lives had put settlers twelve months in their work, great havoc being wrought. Moore's six-roomed house and outbuildings at Parapara were completely destroyed. The fires swept in one sheet of flame from a creamery on the Main South road, mopping up everything. Settlers in the Kawhiatau district have had a bad time. The school was saved with the utmost difficulty. The chairman of Me County Council, who lives at AVaituna, said that his property was completely surrounded. Couucil'lor McNeill said Kiwitea rivers. POHAXGTXA VALLEY IX DANGER.

... P'llmerstoii North, Lust XMit. ,'ni " ei - We ?- ra ? in e last nißht in the I olmngiiiii, Ivomako, and Apiti districts, ami have done much damage, a number Of settlors being severely affected. This evening the lires have died down somewhat and so relieved the situation, but it only wants a high north wind to devastate the whole valley of the Pohaii^ina.

WIDESPREAD DAMAGE IN" AUCKLAND.

, Auckland Last Night. Tue city and harbor ai-e still onvelopcl.m, a haze of .smoke from the bush lues, greatly delaying ghipping. Opawu has suffered immense damage. One estimate gives the total loss sustamed by the settlers at fully £2O 000 During the last couple o£ days the town or iiflgku lias been completely hidden by smoke, and burned a«hea are being carried into the town by the wind. Feed has beel destroyed in every direction, awl as I result the Kauroa dairy factoiy wilf have to close down within the next fevtdays. In the Okete portion of tlie distict, through burning furze the names tipk possession of a large tract °,V OP u l? lmtry ' B was witi much clilli<mltyljwt Miss Wilson's and Mr Gorman ling's flaxmill were savC(l ; Messrs. Pfeler Bros, had the misfortune to lose thleLeat ot" their grass, some 250 am;,, inclkjling last year's sowing. Mr. •I. Belcher] and family had to desert their hoiniat Kauroa and seek shelter at liaglannwmg i 0 the lires surrounding Ins hffco, which it is believed has iM'on destrfed. A Uargaville telegram •states thaltlie Okapaknpa swamp at Aoroa i« alp, and a large quantity of Max lias bej destroyed, the property of All. Tlie uiurei swamp at Auttipu is aso ablaze, and Ihix belonging to native, has been destroyed. At Buckland, as ;he result of sparks from a passing tracion-engine, a tire occurred on Mr. J. llafland's proporty, and one of the best pws of biwli which remain m tlie district vas destroyed. Reports from Mokai str.e that the fine Totara bush now bem, milled by tho Taupo lotara limber Company is in danger ot being awept s.vav. °