BUSH FIRES.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XVI, Issue 4973, 12 March 1895, Page 3

BUSH FIRES.

CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE,

(From Our Own Correspondent) Madkicevili.b, Monday.

Extensive bush fires still continue in the Forty-Mile Bush, and much damage lo grass and fencing has been sustained during the last few days, but beyond this the destruction of property has not been so great as was at first anticipated. Much of tho country presents an appearance as of newly burnt bush, largo areas having been swept clean of almost every vestige of grass and the question of what is to become of stock will be a puzzling one during the coming winter. Some settlers have been left almost without feed.

During Friday and Saturday last the fires were at their worst, and ' about Jlauriceville East all available hands were engaged in fighting the llames, Several houses at various times caught lire, but as ample preparations had been made, were promptly extinguished. Mr D. M. Brooks has been a heavy loser of 1 firewood, upwards of one hundred I cords of n ood having been destroyed, i and it looked at one time as if all his ] property was doomed; his residenco, 1 and lime kilns as well as stables, out- 1 i houses, etc, and a large heap of tire- ! | wood—over one thousand cords—re- < presenting over five hundred pounds ' |in firewood alone, was literally sur- J I rounded with lire. Fortunately the j wator supply was abundant, and • with a large gang of men and capital ; organisation this valuable property i was saved. In the Iliuraua Yalley Mr Shir- ' ley's house was destroyed as well as 1 some contractors' camps, and at ' Drcyerton, Mr August Petersen had ■ his residence burned. The damage to flocks is not yet known, it being impossible to muster : owing to the density of the smoke and the prevalence of fire, but it is feared the loss amongst sheep is large. About Eketahuua and Hastwell ■ the fire was not very seveiely felt, being coulined to the bush ami outlying pastures. Some slight showers fell on Friday night and Saturday morning and to this circumstance many homesteads owe their salvation. The local milk supply to the factories has fallen off twenty per cent during the past week, and rain would be an immense boon to the district and is anxiously looked for. The lire has quite spent itself in many places, but the north-east winds keep blowing with irritating regularity.