GREAT BUSH FIRE.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 2714, 3 December 1889, Page 2

GREAT BUSH FIRE.

THE WAOTU BUSH DESTROrKD. £5000 WORTH OF TIMBER AND FOURTEEN HOUSES BURNT. A hush fire has been raging for some days at Waofcu, which has resulted in the almost total destruction of the valuable totira bush. The fire was caused by a Maori named Mohi To Huniu, who started a fire to make a clearing so that he could plant tobacco, The lire got into the scrub, and before it could be extinguished the bush caught, and resulted in damage to the extent mentioned above being done. During tho last day or two the wind has changed several times, which caused the Are to spread in all directions, and rendered all attempts to stop its progress futile. It was with grunt difficulty that some of the residents saved their furniture, etc., for the lire got into the fern and made the rescuing of it warm work.

The Waikato Timber Company's old mill has been totally destroyed, and all tho adjacent buildings, with the exception of Burnett's house and Bruce's store, and they were saved by wet blankets, etc. The school and telegraph office fortunately escaped, and Mrs Ramsey and Miss Hazard kindly housed soino of tho suffsrers. Thousands of posts that lay in the bush and round tho mill have been destroyed, and the company have suffered to the. extent of quite £400 in that way. Mr Bruce also loses £200 by posts.

The chief sufferers are the natives of the Ngatimailii liapu, who had made extensive clearings, and had planted potatoes, the whole of which are destroyed. The poor natives had been relying on this for their very existence. They hope the Government may be disposed to grant their, some assistance. Nearly all the inhabitants of the place have suffered to a greater or loss extent, as their fences liavo been destroyed.

This calamity will about ruin Waotu, which depended to a great extents upon its kotara bush.

The trees that are charred should be felled and split, as soon as the lire is extinguished, or they will run a further risk, a3 the tire will be certain to break out again when tho dry weather comes again.

Quite 500 acres of this valuable bush havo been totally destroyed, the natives ami the Timber Company are the chief sufferers. It is to be hoped that the rain last night has extinguished the tire.