Bush Fires Raging

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 239, 14 February 1911, Page 5

Bush Fires Raging

SEVERAL SETTLERS' HOMESTEADS BURNED. , HUNDREDS 01" ACRES 01'' GRASS DESTROiLD. SOME PERILOUS EXPERIENCES. ; (By our Special Commissioner.)

Yesterday's reports from the coastal districts between jNew Plymouth anil Opunake went to show that the fears expressed on Sunday, when the vast masses of clouds were seen rolling away to sea, were well founded. Some tanners and members of their families had an exceedingly trying time, and after fighting the fiercely oncoming flames all through Sunday, amidst blistering heat and with eyes smarting and senses staggering under the influence of the masses of pungent smoke from the burning logs and green bush, many were forced to leave their homes and holdings in the all-devouring grip of the flames, which were fanned by the southerly gale. None but those who have passed through it can realise the agony of it all, the fierce, and oft long-drawn fight for home and familjf, and the sickening sense of defeat frlien human nature can stand no more .against the fiery monster. On-Sunday the tires were very had nil along the coast, practically every byroad | radiating from Mount Egmont to the sea suffering severely, bnt the out■tanding feature is that, in view of the fierceness of the fire, so many building* « scaped. A SERIOUS OUTLOOK.

The serious feature is that there will be a tremendous shortage of grass throughout these districts, for on the majority of the farms every blade of grass has gone. On the coast lands, removed by miles from the scene of these fires, the grass is already dried up as the results of weeks of drought, so that the unfortunate farmers whose farms have been so disastrously visited can hope for little succor there. And as many of tnese bush farms are kept for the purpose principally for wintering the stock running on the coastal lands throughout the dairying season, the position becomes all the more serious. One farmer, interviewed bv a Dailv News reporter wuo spent the day: in' collecting information concerning the damage caused by the fires, said, 111 have to sell the whole of my cattle, as I have no gress left—not a blade. And the worst of it is that no one else ,has any either, so I won't get much of a price." Losses are estimated at various amounts ranging from CIOO to ."€IOOO on various farms, bui of course no reliable estimate can yet be made, for fences, grass, buildings, and stock which have been lost must all be taken into account.

NO LOSS OF LIFE. One glad feature of the otherwise terrible visitation is that no livrs were lost, although many were seriously imperilled, and some narrow escapes are reported. Hundreds and hundreds of acres of feed have been clean swept by the flames, and there must soon be a big demand for grass-seed. Of course, until rain has fallen, no sowing of any extent can take place, nor can the danger be considered over until then.

TIIE MILK SUPPLY FALLS,

Milk supplies at the various factories have taken a tremendous tumble in the last day or two, owing to the fact that many suppliers have been unable to get to the factories owing to the smoke and to the reluctance to leave their homes even for an hour or two, not knowing at what moment the lire might advance upon their properties. At Puniho the supply fell from IGOO gallons on Sunday to 1000 gallons on .Monday, and in the same period l'ungarehu showed a fall of ouOO pounds weight of milk—and these two factories depend to only a comparatively small extent on the "bush"'' farms. It is expected that some of the bush creameries will have to elbse down altogether, notably the Xewall road creamery, the largest of them. At the Pungarchu factory the hands had great difficulty in carrying on the work of manufacture, owing to the thick smoke from the tires which were raging miles away. AT OKATO. On the Sanders road the flames were very fierce, and Messrs. Julian Bros.' house caught lire. Strenuous efforts were put forth, however, and the place was eventually saved. On the Oxford road Mr. I). Tooke's house, sheds, and milking sheds, were lost, as well as his piggeries and haystack. Only the house was insured, foi £IOO in tne South British. Mr. A. Larkin's house ana contents were also completely destroyed, and .Mr. Ben Humphreys, on the Dover road, lost his stack of hay and some stacks of firewood. His house caught fire twice, but the fire was extinguished. It was reported that the new Stony river bridge on the Carrington road, built by Mr. F. M. v.rayling for the Roads Department a few years ago, had been burned, but this proved to be incorrect. This was a piece of rare good fortune, for the bridge, which was erected only after long agitation, is of great benefit to the district. As far as can be learned, none of the larger bridges has gone, the iVarea and \Vanveranui bridges being reported safe. Nome of the smaller bridges are said to have gone, but the reports lack confirmation. On the Minorapa road, Mr. Eustace's property suffered severely, his orchard being practically destroyed, and his farm buildings burned, but his house escaped. A number of people from Okato made an effort to reach the burning farms, with a view of rendering what assistance lay in their power, but'found the roads impassable owing to the smoke, and had to turn, back.

ON THE PUNIHO ROAD. Farms on the Puniho road had a remarkab'iy bad time, few escaping a visit from the flames —at least, so far as the upper end was concerned. Mr. E. J. Elwin lost two milking sheds, trapshed, cart, trap, gig, and harness. Mr. Robert Bell lost a four-roomed cottage on his place, but the homestead was saved, as well as his milking shed, in which was installed a Dominion milking machine. Mr. Arnold Wella suffered heavily hy damage to his fences and the loss of his milking shed, and Mr. R. Tiredin was fortunate in beating the fire, which had laid hold of his cowshed, before it reached the milking machines. Mr. McEldowney lost farm buildings, and Mr. F. Cowling's four-roomed cottage was wiped out of existence, together with the whole of his furniture. Other farms were swept by the (lames, which ate up fences, grass, and lisiv. stacks, and in many cases overcame the stock, whilst several of file -ettlcrs were unable to make their usual trip? to the factory. THE CAKRIXOTOX ROAD. On the Carrington road Mr. F. Sole fought the flames as long as he could, and then gave up the fight through ex-

haustion. Ili.s house lie abandoned, believing there was no chance of saving it. He came down to the township, and returned on nonday, to find the house still standing. Mrs. Soie had a difficult task in getting away from the burning farm earlier in tne day. Sue left in a gig, taking with her her. infant child. The drive to safety was a perilous one, the flames bordering the road for some distance, ijnd the heat and smoke were intense. Placing the enml at her feet in the bottom ot the vehicle, she pluekily WHIPPED THE 110KSE TO SAFETY.

Mrs. Sole was quite exhausted when at last she arrived at Warea.

Mr. Henry, on the Puniho road, lost a two-roomed whare, but his house was saved. Flames swept Mr. Alex Muir's property of 300 acres, and there i,s hardly a vestige of grass remaining. Mr. Muir and Mr. Lawn remained almost too long on the place, and found their escape blocked when tuey attempted to get away by the Oxford road, and then by the Newell road; but eventually they managed to dash through to safety by the Puniho road. ROUND ABOUT WAREA. Enquiries revealed that matters had been desperate at the back of Warea, the fireß travelling with great rapidity from stump to stump, and showers of sparks acting as igniters well ahead of the main body of the lire. Mr. P. Raven lost his whare, and Mr. Smith was burned out of grass. Messrs. Ducker's mill was surroundbd by the flames, and it was reported that two of the mill houses hail gone. The timber waggons were unable to get down the road yesterday. Mr. Rumball's house was'only saved bv the wind dropping just in tne nick of time.

All up the Warea road, from Julian's farm to the radius line, the damage is ,severe, and practically all the grass has gone.

Mr. Cassie, on the Xewall road, will have to erect fresh outbuildings. The school and creamery were threatened over and over again, and were saved only with great difficulty. Hearing of the desperate plight of the settlers, parties of residents from Warea left for the scene to render assistance, hut were unable to penetrate the dense pall of smoke to the place where their help was needed. The surveyors on the Xewall run had to shift camp in a hurry on Sunday to escape the enveloping flames.

PARIHAKA IX DANGER. Sunday was a day of excitement in the historic native village of Parihaka. The flames approached it closely, and all hands available were set to fire-fighting. Had the flames once got a hold in the village, the whole of it must have been destroyed. Xo damage was caused, however, in the village itself. ROUND ABOUT RAHOTU. Round about Rahotu the fires were particularly fierce, and extensive damage is reported. Away up the Opourapa road the fire swept in through a strip of green bush with APPALLING SUDDENNESS. Mr. W. Duggan appears to have been the greatest sufferer. He lost his sevenroomed' house ana the whole of its contents, traphouse," and farm buildings, nearly the whole of his grass, and .many, of his milch cattle. The house was insured with the State Department for £•250, but there was no insurance on the furniture. He estimates his loss at £SOO. Some of the townspeople got through on Monday to Mr. Dnggan's assistance. and sought to ease the cattle by relievinir their udders—for they had not been milked since the previous day. The poor brutes must have been in agony from burns, and in some cn*es the blistered teats skinned in the milkers' hands. DRIVEX FROM HOME.

Mrs. Duggan had a perilous experii ence. Accompanied by her children and Mr. P. Duggan, she was fleeing the place, to shelter at Mr. P. Dnggan's house, making the journey across country through the flames and smoke. Sparks ignited Mrs. Dnggan's clothing, and she had to discard her skirt before she could proceed farther. Mr. Duggan was carrying two of the children, and so dense was the smoke that they were overpowered, and swooned away; but afterwards they recovered.

Amongst others v.ho endeavored to get through the smoke to the assistance of the settlers were the Revs. Addenbrooke and Lavbourn, Imt they were driven back each time thev tried it. llrs. C'ave, the wife of a settler on the Opourapa road, had ft Irving experience. Mr. Cave was just placing her and the baby in a trap to drive away to Rahotu to escape from the fires, when smoke and fire were brought by the gale so suddenly and so close as' to almost suffocate them, and the avenue of

RETREAT WAS Cl'T OFF. Mrs. Cave, with the child, took refuge in a small creek, and spent an anxious time, almost suffocated by the smoke, until, about three hours later, Messrs! Phillips and Hood arrived from Rahotu —the first to break through the cordon o. smoke—and conveyed them to the township in safety.

Mr. Pen warden lost his milking shed ana Rid.! milking machine, but saved bis house and tne building containing the oil engine, lie also lost a large shed containing a large stock of tools "and of grass-seed—the latter a most annoying disaster. He also lost a great, deal of his grass, and His cattle had to be moved to a farm lower down the road. Mr. Penwarden himself was completely exhausted bv his efforts in the smoke. Constable Kelly, Messrs. ,T. Coleman, Proctor, Lovegrove, If. Martin. K. Andrews, T. [>. Iluglison, jun.. Hood, and Phillips went up the Kalnii road and gave assistance on Sundav, and some of them on Monday, in repairing fences and so on; and Mr. J. Vincent, a road contractor, sent up a party of nine or ten men.

THE KAIIUI ROAD. Fires wore very severe hero, ami many families bad to bo sent in to Hahotu for safet\. Mrs. Ho! liciy s two-storev house was to tall v destroyed. It was reported that the Opnnake Sawniilling Company', mill on the Kabui road, whirl, had been idle lor some months, was destroyed .He.s<rs. Willoiighb.v and IVnwarden, higher ii]) the road, had a trvin" time "° *' c '' n 'te news has come tiironoh' Jhe factory caught lire several but the fires were put out. A consumable quantity of .firewood stacked there was (lostrovcd. Most of the women declined to leave beir homes, even wnen vehicles from 1 ahotu came for then,, prefer,-in" to pand by their hn.-oand and assist in battling with the flumes. On Sunday al'leniooM (lie [;. T. Addonbnioke was amongst (he workers who •nod he prophets' ,„ceti„., house on lilo Knfun ro;i<|. nciir Mahotu. A historic" cottaire known as "Wind sor (Vtle- u;u lm . ril . ' 'y Jt unoccupied, the owner hav.lll"- removed ~I ;il1 1,,,,. ' l,l I'"- \:;ariki road, fences' ; ,nd -rass !mv, ' l,l;! "'I He fnnihon.c: are reported to I:,. -Messrs. Ilartlc jj,W mill j. rp w f" be m dourer on the Amvlnm road and a consideraide length „ r has been destroyed. 1 ti- l e t j';„! ep ° rt f'l SPVera ' llo " sos on t ,e tuna load have been destroyed, but there is no denite news.

MILKS OF WASTE. At the upper ends of all these byroads, from Okato to Oaonui, a wide belt of country lias been devastated, and most of the grass on the farms has disappeared. ' NEWS BY THE COACH. OPUNAKE TO NEW PLYMOUTH. "1 saw part of the road," stated Mr. Tui'iiicliir, driver of the Opunake coach tj a New.s reporter yesterniiv .ut-uTinon in reply to a question as u the st.it i of affairs along the Opunake road. And Mr. Tunniclilfe went on to relate a doleful, heart-ureaking story of tile loss of houses and property —aye, and even Unreported loss of a human life. It was believed that an old man on the Puniho road had perishci., but nothing authentic was known, as it was impossible to get along the road to malce enquiries concerning his fate. The plight of the rescue parties was pitiable. According to Mr. Tunnicliffe, their eyes were bloodshot, faces anil hands smoke-begrimed, and their general appearance woefully dilapidated. One poor fellow named A. Lawn couldn't see at all, being temporarily blinded by the smoke and heat. At any time on the journey only about half a mile of the road was visible, and stray wild cattle, with bleary eyes and frightened mein, rushed frantically away at sight of the coach and horses. AN AWE-INSPIRING SIGHT.

"The sight yesterday from Opunake was splendid and awe-inspiring," continued Mr. Tunnicliffe. Great columns of dense smoke away in the distance ascended spirally and rolled away before the gale. And at night one lurid mass of flame illumined the heavens.

Appearances already point to the destruction being much greater than was the result of the fires experienced about three years ago in this district. THE LOSS. The losses reported to Mr. Tunnieliffe were as follow: Mrs. Rothery's two-storeyed house at Kahui was burned, and her 120 cows have no milking machine. On tiie Opourapa road Mr. W. Dnggan's new seven-roomed house bowed down to the ground before the fire fiend. After licking up Mr. Be van's house oil the Warea road, the lire called a halt at Mr. Frank Sole's, at "(ucito, and soon there was nothing left of the house, shed or haystacks. So the victorious march continued. IX DA At., El!.

Many narrow escapes are chronicled.

The men's v,-hares and the stack:of wood and Kahui Factory were totally destroyed, but although the factory i'tself was on tire three times it was eventually saved. There was some doubt about the fate of Penwarden's house, as at the time access to it was out of the question to attempt. Dueker Bros.' sawmill and house were in great danger, but there was some hope of saving them.

FIRES ALL ROUXD GREY MOUTH,

By Telegraph.—Press Association. Greymouth, Last Xight,

Bush fires are burning all round Greymouth, and rain is badly wanted to ex tingui.sh them. IX THE WAIKATO. UNEASINESS IX HAMILTON. Hamilton. Uist Xight. Although fires have been round the district for some dav«. thev appear tonight lo be particularly virulent. The town is hemmed in bv snmke, which covers it. as a pall. The long - 1 ruui'lit creates a sense of uneasiness, although danger is unlikely. The outskirts of the town are badly oil' for water. There is a fall in Ihe milk returns, consequent on the scarcity of grass. 'IN THE AUCKLAND DISTRICT. Auckland, Last Xight. Bush fires are railing in various parts of the province. Large areas of grass country have been swept and fencing destroyed. Reports from Kawhia and other places in the King Country, as well as in the Xortlfrn .vairoa, indicate that the settlers are hav:!,g an anxious time.