THREAT TO OHOPE

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 3, Issue 298, 28 April 1941, Page 5

THREAT TO OHOPE

THE MENACE OF FIRE 1 RECENT OUTBREAK REPORTED >8 . Onei of the recently appointed 'jS Fira-wardens for Ohope Beach, Mr J T. P. Dowling, reported? to tha County Council at its last meeting f the outbreak ol a fire at the Ohiwa | end of the beach. He stated that the tenant rolled some waste paper and threw it into a rubbish pit at. the rear of the baclh. after setting it alight. A portion of this 1 paper lift-. < ! 'A ed with the draught and landed in the dry growth, causing the At the base of the cliffs; and the bach was a heavy supply of grass, fern and othetr material. fire carried! through this, also stroying a fairly, large supply evergreens, pine trees which been planted., and- some of the dary fence of thei Native land 'Soheme, Fortunately a number of Volunteer fire fighters arrived quickly and extinguished the blaze. It B would! be a safeguard against all M such occurrences if occupiers of fl such. sections were compelled! to ■ have an old drum for use as an >1 cinerator in which to burn rubbish. J Councillors expressed! some con- | cern at the position which they j agreed should be carefully watched —i in the interests of the splendid na- ■ tural background to the beachv j The Engineer stated that had it • not been for the wind dying down | at the psychological' moment the're would have been a very serious fir© ; which might have endangered several of the nearby houses. In the discussion which followed in which the council debated the necessity for taking action»it was . suggested that incinerators be supplied at intervals along the beach for the benefit of residents who dosired to burn rubbish. . It l was finally decided 1 that a warning be given in the present instance and! that the next' person responsible for an uncontrolled fire outbreak be prosecuted.