FIRE BOARD.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16159, 13 March 1918, Page 9

FIRE BOARD.

MONTHLY MEETING. The Christchurch Firo Board met last evening. Present: Messrs. H. Holland (chairman), H. I*. Hopkins, G. J. A. Kerruish, and H. R. Rusbridge. A letter was received from the Vigilant Automatic Fire Alarm Co., Ltd., suggesting that the time was opportune to consider tho subject of the Board's chargc of £2 2s per year for connecting up to tho Gamewull clock at the fire station. The company maintained that this charge was altogether too heavy under tlio circumstances, and tended to discourage owners from installing firo alarms in their premises, which they took it was not what the Board wished to do. Indeed, the Board should encourago installations. They considered that onlr & nominal charge should be made at 'the firo station, sufficient to cover working expenses. , , A letter was received from htteen firms and owners of premises protected bv automatic fire alarms, complainthat the Hoard's chargo of £2 por year for connecting those installations to the firo station, and its charge of £1 Is for false alarms received from fire alarm installations,, was exorbitant. Tney understood these charges wen; not made elsewhere in New ZcalaThe New Zealand Express Co. also wrote separately to the same effect regarding the Board's charge for turning out to lalse. alarms. ... , It was decided to reply that when the Board was considering its cstiinate« at the* end of the. financial year, these matters would receivo full consideration. The Superintendent reported that the number of calls received during tlio month was 17. Of these eight were for false alarms (five beinj: malicious), two were for outside district calls, and seven were for actual, fires within the citv area. The estimated total Ire loss on contents and buildings was .T334 the insurances on property on which fires occurred . amounted to £•30,310 and the estimated value of tho property on which fires oecurrad was £39 535. The estimated total fire loss for the previous month was £4240. The permanent staff was being kept up to its full strength, and the conduct. and discipline of members was very satisfactory.