TUAKAU—ITS NEEDS.

Franklin Times, Volume 9, Issue 704, 3 February 1922, Page 8

TUAKAU—ITS NEEDS.

FIRE FIGHTING APPLIANCES. ( By “Progressus.”) Upon visiting' the scene of Thursday morning’s fire when the local fco,ne mill was totally destroyed with its valuable contents it was very noticeable that a little assistance from a fire-fighting plant would have enabled the easy salvaging of hundreds of pounds woi’;th of material. Heaps of bones ready for grinding up, were blazing fiercely, but even then, late in the day, a lot of it could have been saved from destruction But the sad fact is that Tuakau dees not possess even one fire bucket and has not the least littel organisation for fire-fighting purposes This should be remedied at once, for Tuakau is capidly growing and houses are being erected close together, making a much more compact town. The business area consists of wooden buildings, the largest of which—the hotel—is entirely a wooden structure. Terrible risks are being 1 run in the ignoring of the fiiglytful danger and devastation of fire under such conditions The onlookers cannot do a thing to check the flames, and can simply try ineffectively to save a paltry portion of the contents of ,the building. And if a strong wind were blowing and a fire occurred in the shop area the whole row would be swept away; there is not a thing provided with which to combat the spread of the dread destroyer; it would level the town to the ground. A dozen buckets should be immediately purchased and painjted and placed in a rack by the hoitel (for preference), as there are always some people thereabouts. These buckets should be kept filled with water—a very minute task —each firm attending to the-matter for a month, starting with the first name alphabetically. If a fire occurs a short distance out of the. town the buckets could be emptied and rushed to the scene, and there is no doubt as to the great saving of property that would be effected by this means.. In the town itself they would prevent widespread deGive someone charge of the buckets and occasionally have a practice on the walls of some shop, utilising the services of everyone in the street.

5 This should be done at once as a preliminary measure of safety, and action should energetically follow for the purpose of deciding on a proper scheme and applying it urgently..

It should be a very simple matter for Tuakau to have a first-class water supply for fire-fight in or purposes. A never-failing stream flows at the back of Harrisville Hill between it and Dominion Road.. A reservoir should be constructed on ton of the hill, an engine and pump placed by the creek and water pumped up into the reservoir. A Pm main should run down Harrisville Hill across the railway line right along George Street past the three chui’ches to the flaxmill at the river side ; also one main from Tapper’s corner along round Doctor Roberts’ corner, then around to Pi)rftt’s shop again, and another along to Mungall’s house in Jellicoe Avenue. These mains would cover the closely-built part and would be a wonderful means of safety and security. A couple of long reels would be required, and a fire brigade should be formed with regular practices under competent supervision. The buildings within reach of the mains should be formed into a spec*ial rating area, and as a very modest sum would instal the reticulati&tf scheme outlined, the small special rate levied to cover the interest ai-frk sinking fund “for the loan would he more than compensated for in cash] by the reduced insurance rate. wh’chj at. present is very heavy. And. then; consider the incalculable security to life and property. No sacrifice will be necessary to secure this, simply the trouble of all asking- the Town Board for it; even if a gren,t sacrifice were necessary it would well be worth it Tuakau has been wonderfully fortunate in being free from disasters from fiife, but any day the dreaded ravager may stalk through the town. This scheme for a watey supply is for fire purposes only. Its use for household requirements as well, wi!'. be the subject of a future article, when a report is received from the Government upon samples of waiter sent for analysis.