The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas, et Prevalebit. WEDNESDAY, MAY 10, 1882. The Fire Brigade.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume III, Issue 632, 10 May 1882, Page 2

The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas, et Prevalebit. WEDNESDAY, MAY 10, 1882. The Fire Brigade.

TOWN EDITION. [lssued at 5.40 p. m. j

The facts which we yesterday made public respecting the tampering with

the fire engine are not a little startling. The consequences which may ensue to : the public if this sort of thing is to go ( on may be simply disastrous. We are fortunate in the possession of a Fire Brigade that for pluck and aptitude for hard work it would be hard to beat anywhere. Ready and willing is the motto of the men who are, as their song says, “ always on the spotbut of what avail would pluck and hard work be if, on a big fire breaking out, the fire engine was discovered to be useless ? In a matter of so much public moment as this the residents should not rest until the perpetrator of the systematic tamperings with the engine is discovered and punished as he so richly merits. For weeks past, we understand, these dastardly attempts to render the efforts of the Brigade abortive in case of fire, have been going on. Large stones have been repeatedly found in the suction pipe of the engine, and one of these stones is, we are informed, at the present time in the possession of a gentleman in this town, to whom it was handed by the captain of the Fire Brigade. It was dislodged from its hiding place with some difficulty, and had the engine been summoned to do duty on emergency would certainly have prevented its being utilised in any way to check theflames. An illustration of this, as we pointed out in our local of yesterday, was afforded at the Library fire,' where, although of great service, the usefulness of the engine was largely impaired. The pumping at the fire in question was tearfully hard work, and it was not until after the engine was taken back to the station that the reason was apparent—a large stone was found choking up the suction pipe. On another occasion a coil of hose was found cut through and through, some thirty feet of .the piping being thus rendered useless. We were at first inclined to the view that the mischief was the work of larrikins, but this does not appear to be the opinion of the captain of the Brigade, although he is quite unable to fathom the mystery. We trust the matter will be thoroughly investigated without delay, but in the meantime steps should be taken to appoint a resident caretaker at the Brigade station. The engine-shed is the only building at present occupying the Brigade reserve, but accommodation for a man in charge by day and night could be added at a very small cost. One or more of the immigration cottages, which are now doomed, might with advantage be placed alongside the engine-shed, and turned into caretaker’s quarters ; and we believe an application to this effect is under the consideration of the Borough Council. If nothing else can be done, we would suggest that the public should be asked to contribute towards a fund for the purpose of erecting the necessary additions. 'I he Brigade’s premises are badly in need of enlargement, the members having no place of their own at present at which to hold their meetings. We feel sure that if an appeal were made to the public for funds in furtherance of such an object as the one indicated, that it would meet with a ready and liberal response, for all the townspeople have an interest in maintaining the efficiency of the Brigade, and helping forward such an extremely useful body in every possible way.