AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXVIII, Issue 7950, 27 January 1906, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

THE FIRES. DEEDS OF HEROISM., HARROWING DETAILS. EIGHT HUNDRED MEN FIGHTING THE FLAMES. MELBOURNE, January 26. The saving of Mr Ciemson's family was largely due to the heroism of Clavarino, an Italian, who, when the house contiguous to the tank took fire, repeatedly extinguished the flames, although at each effort his own clothes became ignited. The heat became so intense that women became hysterical, and had to be forcibly restrained from running straight into the flames. The fire is still burning in the valley of Little Franklin. In one instance a whole family was saved through taking refuge in a well. Thirty-two families are utterly homeless. These oases are authenticated, but there must be others as it is difficult in the chaos that exists to get reliable news. The body of a man named Butler ht»s been found. He was overoome while trying to reaoh his relatives' residence. Round Daylesford the farmers are constructing fire breaks. It is feared that if the wind freshens the fire will come Westward. A man named Larranconi was severely burned and died at Margoon. A eucalyptus distillery was completely destroyed at'Mortlake, 150 miles south-west of Melbourne. An army of 800 men is engaged all day fighting the fire. Along the r,oads heapb of dead stock are to be found. The oountry from Hillend, 101 miles south-east of Melbourne, to Neerira, 75 miles north-east of the capital, was laid waste on Tuesday, and practically all the settlers are homeless. The heroism of Mr Vales, schoolmaster at Toora, saved 28 ohildren He cullapsed again and again. He went through a veritable furnace to get water to ponr on the blankets. Mr Vales, on being questioned, said the ohildren obeyed him, and lay flat on the ground. Another man and he kept the blankets wet. He got water from the burning school till it collapsed, and then went through blazing scrub to the oreek. The boys helbed him. When the Are was at the worst, they ran into large logs, covered themselves with wet blankets, and as the logs caught tbey shifted to other logs. The school ohildren stayed with him all night. Nine bodies were buried at Toora yesterday. Mr Soales and a party of labourers, while scrub-cutting at Binginwarrie, were surrounded by fire. Their horses were ridden fiercely, but were so injured by the fire that they bad to be shot. The men found refuge in a water hole, which gradually filled with burning branohes. They were in the water four hours. _ One man, who became tempor arily insane, was prevented by force from committing suicide. All ultimately escaped, but were nearly blinded and scalded. SYDNEY, January 26. Mrs Wash, while returning from a visit to her mother, accompanied by her two children, got off the' track in the Warren district, 353 j miles west of Sydney, and wandered | about in the dreadful heat. Both the children perished from the heat and thirst. The mother was rescued in a demented state. MELBOURNE, January 26. The Victorian Government is sending £IOOO to relieve the immediate necessities of tne sufferers in Gippsland. ABITRATION COURT MATTERS. REPEAL OR AMENDMENT URGED. SYDNEY, Januay 26. In a remarkable circular issued by Mr Riley, employees' representative on the Arbitration Court, the writer attacks recent High Court judgments, reviewing the findings of tde Arbitration Court. Mr Riley says the Arbitration Act has now become a menace instead of a benefit to the industrial classes. All the penal and criminal sections of the Act remain, but all. the other sections which give the employer and employee opportunities of settling the conditions of their industries have been practically destroyed. The Arbitration Court, however, anxious it may be to do its duty, is, says Mr Riley; harassed by judgments which leave it with practically no powers. He urges the repeal or amendment of the Act.