STRONG PROTEST

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 20916, 16 October 1942, Page 4

STRONG PROTEST

PALMERSTON E.P.S. CONTROLLER’S ACTIONS FIRE-FIGHTING MEASURES (P.A.) PALMERSTON N., this day. “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 organisation for protecting citizens in a time of emergency.” This resolution was passed at a ' meeting of the E.P.S. committee. As part of its fire-fight.ing precautions to meet an emergency, the committee delegated to the city fire brigade superintendent power to instruct, business firms what fire-fighting appliances should be installed in certain business houses. The superintendent ordered hose and reels, but an objection to their installation came in a letter to the committee from the regional commissioner, Colonel C. V. Ciochetto, who suggested that the instructions given by the brigade superintendent should be withdrawn. Colonel Ciochetto also- suggested that the owners of buildings should not be prosecuted for failing to comply with the superintendent’s requests without the circumstances being reported and the consent of the regional commissioner, Colonel Ciochetto, himself first being obtained through the district controller. The Mayor. Mr. A. E- Mansford, who presided, asked the committee who was best fitted to judge what was required to fight fire. He did not intend to withdraw the authority given to the superintendent for the regional commissioner or anyone else until they could produce someone more fitted than the superintendent. He characterised the request as presumptuous coming from a layman.