FIRE-WATCHING

Dominion, Volume 35, Issue 265, 7 August 1942, Page 4

FIRE-WATCHING

Requirements Of Service

Where it has been necessary to relax fire-watching because of earthquake damage to buildings, states the Wellington Fire Protection Organizer, Mr. V. E. Hampson-Tiudale, building organizers are asked to concentrate on efforts to combine with the fire-watch-ing personnel of neighbouring buildings. "Both occupiers and owners are expected to afford full co-operation in this matter," he adds. “It must be remembered that the building organizer is the nominee of tiie occupiers, and that he is carrying out the obligations imposed by the Act upon them. “Since the meeting held in the Town Hall last week, several persons have forwarded suggestions concerning the fire-watching service, and in three notable instances these appear to be practicable. They will be put into operation as soon as possible, provided that they are in harmony with the recommendations of the London expert who is here to advise on the future operation of the system,” Correspondents’ Views Sir,—Anent Mr. Hampson-Tindale’s reply to the mayor of Christchurch on this subject, are we in this community so feeble-minded and incapable of responsible decision and action that we must accept implicitly the advice of one from abroad, be he ever so well versed in a system instituted to meet circumstances which at present have no parallel iu this country? A person of average intelligence surely does not need to be a military strategist to realize the physical impossibility for our Eastern foe to raid this land from his present bases with hundreds of planes (not forgetting his aircraftcarriers, which, we are given to understand, are now mostly sunk). There is no analogy between the two countries—Britain and New Zealand—in this connexion, tlic German air bases being within a few minutes’ flight, whereas the Japanese air bases are many hundreds of miles distant. Should the position in this area seriously deteriorate, 1 then let us have a continuous, vigilant fire-watching service "pronto."—We are, etc., THE FOUR FIRE-WATCHERS. Wellington, August 6.

Sir,—f was extremely pleased to read in this morning’s “Dominion” that the city’s continuous tire-watching policy is to be reviewed, and thousands of our people who have spent many weary hours sitting or sleeping in the city’s buildings will agree that this review has not come a moment too soon. I was interested, too, to read of the mayor of Christchurch, reported as saying that though Christchurch did not have a continuous fire-watch their system could be called into action in a few minutes. Recently at a meeting of L.p.s. workers, the city’s fire-watching organizer, Mr. Hampson-Tindale, said it was not his intention to allow the present wearisome Wellington watch to be “put to bed,” but, of course, from the time that the mayor made this appointment. that was always our danger. Before I could be convinced that what is going on in Wellington city is really a necessity as a preparation against hostile action I should like to see a .statement to that effect from someone a little more responsible for our safety. Could the military authorities lie induced publicly to support this view?— I am, etc., AN E.P.S. SUPEPvVISOR. Wellington, August 5,