SMALL INCREASE

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 125, 28 May 1937, Page 10

SMALL INCREASE

FIRE BOARD'S COSTS

ESTIMATES APPROVED

THE YEAR'S WORK

A slight increase is shown in the Wellington Fire Board's estimates for the current year, the amount being £33,400, as compared with £32,324 last year and £29,324 for 1936. At this morning's meeting of the board | the Minister's approval of the estimates was received. The city will find £16,500, the insurance companies £16,500, and the Government £400. In his report for the twelve months ended March 31 last, the superintendent (Mr. C. A. Woolley) stated that the total, number of calls received by the brigade was 840, or an increase of 205 as compared with the corresponding period of the previous year. Actual fires numbered 558 (property 208, chimney 96, gorse, grass, and rubbish 254), and false alarms 282, of which number 87 were maliciously given. The most serious outbreaks with which the brigade had to deal with were in the premises of Hutcheson, Wilson, and Co., Ltd., on January 20, and Hope Gibbons, Ltd., on February 19, 1937. Damage in each case amounted to between £5000 and £10,000. "Malicious false alarms show a considerable decrease as compared with the corresponding period of the previous year," continued the report, "and through an arrangement which has been made with the Post' and Telegraph. Department for holding and checking back on all telephone calls, it is considered that a further decrease in the number will be effected. Investigation of several false alarms from the Miramar and Thorndon districts led to the: apprehension of a youth on April 9, 1936, and a girl on January 3, 1937." INSPECTION OF EQUIPMENT. All street fire alarms had been regularly attended to throughout the year, no extensions having been made. The latter would receive consideration when the proposed new system of alarms was installed at the new headquarters station. Inspections were made during the year to 638 buildings, 732 theatres, and 530 gorse sections. A brigade officer was detailed to accompany an official from the Labour Department on a systematic inspection of all factories in order to offer advice readily on the spot on the matter of fire escapes, etc., and at the same time to offer suggestions to the management on fire prevention and protection matters. The following details concerning losses at fires attended by the brigade during 1936-37 were appended to the report (the corresponding figures for the previous year are shown in pareiv theses):— : . Estimated loss of property covered by insurance, £33,510 (£16,003); estimated loss of property not covered by insurance, £1046 (£683); total loss, £34,556 (£16,686); estimated value of property involved, £3,459,34(5 (£2153,874); insurance on property involved, £997,557 (£1,605,067).