THE BUSH FIRES.

Taranaki Daily News, 27 March 1918, Page 6

THE BUSH FIRES.

EXCITING EXPERIENCES. One man, Mr. J. G. Hervoy, lias had an unenviable experience. This is the third time in twenty years that he lias lost everything. In January, TOB9, he was burned out of house and home in Ivimbollon. During February, 1008, ne experienced a similar misfortune at. Raelihi, and in March, IMS, a similar fate overtook him. TJiis to people in Raetilii is a most remarkable eoincklenco, A .nun named .vloir was dreadfully burnt about the face and nanda. alio had to be taken to the Wangamii Hospital. He was fencing when he foiui! the flames approaching. He only fully realised his predicament ivhon he tried to escape, and discovered the flames all round him. Before he had gone very far he was practically blinded with the heat. The skin was peeling from his face, ana ho could only soc by holding one eye s|' ;ly open with his finger. Once he dropped, and thought lie was done. lie crawled (o his feet again, and after staggering for two miles met some friends who assisted him to safety. These are only si few of (he narrow escapes that are recorded, in a number of instances women and children only saved their lives by crowding- into culverts and clocks. A case is reported of a woman who, when burn) out on a previous occasion, lost everything. This tune she took steps (<> save liev furniture, all of which she put in the middle of the road. The furniture was burned, but the house remained intact. A pathetic incident, was the destruction of a nursing homo at Raetihi, where there were eight or nine maternity eases. The patients were removed to a vacant, section, and protected from smoke and wind as much as possible during Uie time the fire raged. In one mill yard a stack of green timber burnt like matchwood, and not a charred stick remained. The engineer in charge of what is known as Synie's mill had a miraculous escape. lie did his utmost to save the mill, and stood by until the ilames were within about lflflt't of him, when he was compelled to escape. Trees were falling all mound him, and he crawled under a big rimn log, hoping for a chance to get away. While he was waiting six other trees came crashing on top of the lo;». Seeing a chance to make a dash through the smoke, he managed to get to the Makotuku stream, where he lay for several hours. Recovering a little he staggered lo his home, only to find it in ashes. His wife and children had gone he knew not where, lint eventually discovered his wife and family in safety. Frank Miehins, for whom fears were entertained, turned up safelv in Raetihi, last week. He had a thrilling tale to tell. Miehins has a 120(1 acre block by the Mangaeturoa River, towards Pipiriki. He lived in a three-roomed whare, near his woolshed and other buildings. He was awakened early on Tuesday morning by sparks coming under his door, and at onee realised that all was hopeless, so he made an attempt to save his life. He ran for the river, 200 yards away, and eventually reached it by crawling on the ground through smoke and fire. He then jumped down 30 feet into the water, where he lav exhausted for a couple ot hours. When sufficiently revived he swam and waded up half a mile till he came to a tree that had been blown into the river. He climbed up this tq a clearing, and got into the scenic reserve, which the fire had already swept. 'He was then able to find a neighbor, Mr. McArthur, and got sheltnr with nine bushmen and several families. Mr. McArthur's house was saved by strenuous efforts, though its roof was blown clean out.