CHAPEL-STREET FIRE.

Auckland Star, Volume II, Issue 601, 13 December 1871, Page 2

CHAPEL-STREET FIRE.

To the Editor of the EvbwiJu $*.- Sib,—The fire on Monday «\&cT ■attended with the usual amount ofreoH and unnecessary destruction of proi? on the part of the crowd, as waffiP* directed zeal by the brigade inT-' efforts to subdue the flames And • is on all and every occasion on whiS fire occurs in Auckland. Household a J every other kind of property is invamHtaken out of dwellings and throw Q S the streets and broken, that might wif? absolute safety have been left uStouchS as far as the risk of fire is concerned Th fire-brigade, too, either from want of proper control, or inexperience, usually manage to expend their force of water in such a manner as to render their services in a great measure useless. In the face on Monday night of the most limited supply of the element the hose was chiefly directed on the main body of the flames instead of allowing the destruction of what was inevitable, and in the meantime have endeavored to destroy all chance of connection with the adjoining buildings by thoroughly saturating them with water • or what would have been much better' have created a gap by pulling down those buildings that were sure otherwise to become ignited. Instead of which some dozen men were seated on the roofs of houses like monkeys, distinguishing themselves by indulging in anything but fit and becoming language to those below who, by-the-by, were making fruitless endeavors to bring the hose to bear on the flames, and which might have been effected with promptness had a small line been attached to its nozzle. Leaving the question of an efficient supply of water out of the question altogether, the sooner a change is effected in the present firebrigade the better, unless we are to have a recurrence of Monday night's proceedings. Yours, &c, ABOTSt [While endorsing the general views of our correspondent, it appears from the thanks conveyed in our advertising columns that on this occasion the owners of property have not suffered from that recklesseness which is certainly too common on the occurrence of fires in Auckland.—Ed.E.S.]