FEARS RELIEVED

Wairarapa Times-Age, 12 January 1939, Page 7

FEARS RELIEVED

MANY WHO WERE MISSING NOW SAFE.

RELIEF FUND MOUNTING RAPIDLY.

By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. (Received This Day, 9.5 a.m.) MELBOURNE. This Day. The wind remained south all day and night and the danger is lessened. Fears for the safety of about twenty-two persons were relieved as, one by one, they emerged, many severely burned and in the last stages of exhaustion, from the fireswept area. All had amaz-‘ ing stories to tell of escape from death The death-roll now stands at - twenty-one. At least 20 others are missing. Hundreds of families are homeless, their only possession being the charred clothing they are wearing. At Rubicon alone, fifty families and more than 150 children are destitute. Great public sympathy is being shown to the victims and contributions in money are pouring in for the relief fund, the "Argus” newspaper alone raising £5.000 in three days since the appeal opened. HEAT WAVE DEATHS SIXTEEN IN VICTORIA. NEW SOUTH WALES HELP FOR FIRE VICTIMS. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. (Received This Day. 10.30 a.m.) SYDNEY. This Day. Seven persons died in New South Wales yesterday. Since the heat wave started, sixteen have died in Victoria. The Prime Minister (Mr J. A,. Lyons), assisted by four of his daughters. a son and others, fought a scrub fire which threatened to destroy his home at Devonport (Tasmania).

The Lord Mayor of Melbourne has accepted an offer by the Lord Mayor of Sydney to open a fund to help sufferers from the bush fires.