ANXIOUS TIME AT NAINAI. SAVING A SAWMILL.
MANY SLEEPLESS NIGHTS. FIRE REACHES WAINUI-O-MATA BUSH.
Lower Hutt, or more correctly speaking the Naenae district, has not escaped the epidemic of bush fires. For many days past, Messrs. Strand Bros. have seen their sawmill in imminent danger of destruction, but by keeping a careful watch day and night, a score of willing employees saved the plant. Last evening it seemed “odds on” that the mill would go. Fortunately, however, there was an abundant water supply at hand. A stream trickles down the gully, and by digging miniature wells here and there, and by using every available bucket and utensil capable of holding water, a strenuous brigade found that they had the upper hand.
A Post reporter, who visited the locality today, had an opportunity of judging what stubborn efforts were required to check the progress of the flames, which were burning all around the mill. In places, the fire crept down the slopes to within a few feet of a great heap of sawdust, only to be drenched with water and belaboured with the handiest piece of timber available. It was 4 o’clock this morning before Mr. W. Strand considered it advisable to entrust the safety of the mill to the employees and return for a much-needed rest to his home at Taita.
Three weeks ago, the flames suddenly appeared at the top of a ridge to the south of the mill. They soon spread, and making progress northward, destroyed considerable quantities of firewood on land which is being “worked” by a Wellington syndicate. As the fire sped onward, Mr. Strand sent a party of workmen out, and they managed to beat out the flames before they reached the tram line, over which the rough timber is conveyed to the mill. This tramline was described in The Post a little time back. Its construction involved a huge amount of labour and a good deal of engineering skill; and if any considerable portion of it had been burned, it would have entailed a serious loss on the proprietors.
The line, however, did not wholly escape. In the valley to the east of the mill, small stretches of the line were burnt, but the bucket brigade was on hand at all hours, and the damage in this connection is not serious. One bridge of the rough-bush-sawmill type was swept away last week, but this had been replaced by a new structure when our representative visited the place today. Nevertheless, in some respects, Messrs. Strand Brothers did not escape. Two whares (occupied by the employees of the firm) and a rough stable were destroyed, while a third whare was only saved after a corner had been burnt out of it; and “all hands and the cook” had drenched it with buckets of water.
At the top of the ridge, where the tramway hauling engine is housed, it has been an anxious time for everybody, but Messrs. Strand Bros. state that things might very easily have been much worse. Their total losses should not run into more than £100. The employees have lost nothing to speak of.
