DESTRUCTIVE FIRES AT WAITEKAURI.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2503, 13 January 1877, Page 2

DESTRUCTIVE FIRES AT WAITEKAURI.

Narrow Escape of the Battery.

This day.

There hare been two large and destructive fires at the Waitekauri yesterday, one in the immediate vicinity of the Waitekauri battery, and the other on the Welcome Spur. The fire near the bat. tery was started, it-is not known how, at about 10 a.m., and owing to the number of fallen trees and dry limbs lying scattered about it took good hold of the green timber and spread with great rapidity in the direction of the spur east of the Company's valuable plant. At about noon the fire ragod with such fierceness that it seemed doubtful whether the battery could have possibly escaped. Certainly, if the wind had been from the east it would ere this have been in ashes. Great exertions were made by "Mr C. Wilson and the miners, who were summoned down from the mine, to check the progress of the flames, and they succeeded to the extent of preventing the property t of Mr E. M. Corbett, which is situated on the spur just above the battery, from being destroyed. As it was the fire reached the fence, just about a chain from the house. While the shareholders of the Com pany can congratulate themselves on their immunity from damage, there are others who have suffered severely, and one (Mr Jeffries, a sawyer) who has "lost bis all.", Almost as soon as the fire was observed, his house, a comfortable one, built of sawn timber, was seen to be almost completely surrounded, and doomed to, destruction. It was useless, if not dangerous in attempting to save his effects. The, only articles removed out of the house were some bedditig,' and yet they were not saved. He deposited them, as he thought, where the flames would not reach, and went back in the direction of his home to get some more of his effects, but failing lie returned to find eren this consumed. 1 be-

lieve that Mr Jeffries, with his wife and two children, are now completely destitute, having, as I am informed, not only lost their house, furniture, &c, but a sum of money which they had in the house at the time. Ido not know whether lam justified in appealing to the public on his behalf, but nevertheless I do so, knowing well that he has a claim on the benvo* lence of those charitably disposed. . [I hope you will take the matter up as far as Grahamstown is concerned.] Mr J. Lyndsay, better known as Laughing Jack, is also a sufferer by the fire; he has lost the whole of his sawyer's tools, having left them in the bush on that day. From the Welcome Spur I have not heard any particulars of the fire. My informant has only lold me that the manager's hut is burnt, and one other on the spur. While lam writing there are extensive fires burning in every direction; One at the Kauri Bush on the Wanekauri road ; another on both sides of the 1 road near Bain's section; and one.within a mile from Mackay town; ©