FIRES.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume IX, Issue 2530, 21 February 1887, Page 2

FIRES.

The high wind that prevailed on Saturday and yesterday caused great anxiety among .the settlers in the vicinity of Mastorton, as the long spell of dry weather had made everything in a dangerously combustible state, and the numerous bush fires burning in every direction added considerably to the peril of .tho surrounding homosteads. In Masterton, great oxcitement was caused yesterday morning about 10 o'clock when both flrebells rang, out vigorous peals, and smoke was seen rising from the rather thickly populated neighborhood of Hope-st. Before, however, the Firo Brigades could reach the Scone, tho inhabitants of that street had by their united efforts extinguished the cause of tho alram, which was afowlhouse, and back shed belonging to Messrs J, Beere and Girdwood respectively, the former was destroyed and tho kitter had one side burned out. ' . /

This morning at 2.80 tho bells again gave out their , warnings for a fire that had broken out in an unfinished house in Church-street, the property of Mr k, G. Smith. Both brigades wero promptly on the scene, but owing to the want of water no effort was made tosave the building which soon dissappeared under the influence of tho high wind. .The

bouse,'which contained 'Wen rooms, ■with -four fireplace's/ was,' with the exception.of several dooraand-'.saglieg that required fixing, ready for ocsupation, and was being finished offin rather an .elaborate style. The origin of the .fire 13 a mystery,' as tlie,:ptecs was securely fastened up, but being -stated somewhat out of the centre of population, it is the inevitable, swagger. Thebuilwps •insured in.the NewZealaild-Ilpffioe office for £2OO, .1 '• On the Qpaki, bush bush and grass fires hoW been playing havoo this last feiwda'ys. Yesterday, morning Mr Evernden was made aware of the danger his mill stood in through tlflj adjoining biish fires, and he immodio? tely got -wliat assistance he could to save it',' By dint of hard work the party managed to savo the jw)l although it caught alight several t»s the timber, close up to the builSßJg being destroyed. At Mr A. Matthews', Opalci, a grasi fire came within a short distance of •the house, and was chocked by a croak" that rang near the place, the hous® and outbuildings having a very mrrov escape; l " : -"V y , < ■■•Atthe Wangaehu,.. Mr H/ Fallooa had a warm tim.o yesterday through was destroyed, several chains St feneliig burnt, and it was only by groat «xertions of ; the.; neighbors that th# house was saved, the fire coming within; four feat of it before it could be chock®, At Ofcahua Messrs Bennett's, Campbell's, and Drummond's residence! have had narrow escapos of destrue* tion, large numbers of mon being employed, beating out the grass fires in the immediate vicinity of those places. At the Upper Taueru Eoad, near Bridge Creek, Mr H. Stevons, the contractor for metalling the road for the County Council, , has bag driven to shift his camp through gj approach of the consuming element, .the.men barely having time topackup before it swept down on them, clearing everything before.it. I Travellers from Mauriceville inform us that from Dreyerton to Mauriceville is one continuous fire, the bush J and grass being-alight the whole distance. At Mauriceville it has proved very destructive, the house of Mr Neilsen being destroyed, besides several outliousos belonging to the settlers ;hei'e; also a largo quantity of fencing, Tho Greytown Fire Brigade on. Satur-, day evening proceeded to Papawai, ' and workod most energetically in endeavoring to save Madaon's liouao in thjifc locality from being destroyed bf fire. A's it'was, .the outhousos, with a hayloft containing hay, were all consumed; • but by groat exertions tho Brigade saved tho house. The firomon worked in shifts all the night until daylight yesterday morning. They were called out . again yestorday afternoon to proceed to the same looallty, at the firo became again dangerous to tho homes there.