FIRE-FIGHTING

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 19, 17 October 1942, Page 9

FIRE-FIGHTING

Palmerston North E.P.S. Dominion Special Service. PALMERSTON N., October 10. Tiie Ii.P.S. committee passed the following motion : — “This committee enters an emphatic protest to the Government against the present system of control, which, in the committee’s opinion, will not produce the best organization for protecting citizens in time of emergency.” As part of its lire-tighting precautions to meet emergency, the committee delegated to the fire brigade superintendent power to instruct business firms that fire-fighting appliances should be installed. In a certain business house the superintendent ordered hose reels, but objection to their installation came in a letter file committee received from the regional commissioner, Colonel Cioclietto, who suggested that tiie instructions given by tiie brigade superintendent should be withdrawn. Colonel Cioclietto also suggested that owners of buildings should not lie prosecuted for failing to comply with the superintendent’s requests without the circumstances being reported and the consent of the regional commissioner himself first being obtained through the district controller. The mayor, Mr. Mansford, who was presiding, asked the committee who was best fitted to judge what was required to fight, lire. He did not intend to withdraw the authority given the _ superintendent for the regional commissioner or anyone else until they could produce someone more fitted than the superintendent. He characterized the request as presumptions as coming from a layman.