The Globe. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 1878.

Globe, Volume IX, Issue 1232, 14 February 1878, Page 2

The Globe. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 1878.

It is we think matter for regret that the members of the Fire Brigado should have construed any remarks made upon the late fire in Colombo street as expressive of any want of confidenco in them by the general public. Such wo feci sure was never intended. But the Brigade must expect criticism upon its working at times, and that perhaps of an unfavorable character, and though this is the case it by no means follows that public confidence in them is so far shaken as to load them to contemplate the serious step of resigning en masse. Wo fear the well desorved but somewhat lavishly dispensed praise accorded to the Brigade at other times has had the effect of making them ultra sensitive, and ready to see offence where none is intended. "We trust that in future the Brigade, secure in the knowledge that they discharge their duty efficiently, and that they possess to the full the confidence of the people of Christchurch, will not take such serious notice of any expression of opinion which may be made. This, however, is, by the way. What we desire to draw public attention to is some portions of the report of the Fire Brigade Committee of the City Council presented at its last meeting. The first of these is the question of efficient water supply. It appears that the concrete tanks in various parts of the city require repairing pretty frequently. The practice has been to empty them, and the work of repair has been carried out in the usual way—that is, without any special efforts being used to complete it without delay. At present, as our readers know, the greater part of the city is dependent upon these tanks as the o»ly means of fire prevention. The closing, therefore, of one of them cripples the Brigade seriously in coping with a fire. It will thus be seen how necessary it is that the tanks, when under repair, should not be kept empty for some days, as is now the case. Our supply of 'water for fire extinction purposes is far too small to allow of it being still further limited, and we hope that no such unfortunate accident will again occur as on the occasion of the last fire, when one of the principal tanks was rendered useless. The next point in the report to which we will refer has reference to a subject upon which we have more than once written. We allude to the insufficient nature of the provisions of the building by-law to provide any adequate check against the spread of fire. That this is so is proved by the report of Mr Superintendent Harris respecting the burning of the Al Hotel. Ho points out that practically, so far as this building was concerned, the by-law —if intended to act in the direction of fire prevention—is utterly nugatory. No stronger argument could, wo think, be adduced in favor of our contention that the building by-law is a delusion, and that it is imperatively necessary a more stringent one should be introduced as soon as possible. Whilst this subject is under the consideration of the Council, it may, perhaps, be as well for them to consider the advisableness—looking at the progress of the city—of extending the- building block beyond its present somewhat narrow limits. Be this as it may, however, there can be no doubt of the fact, after Mr Superintendent Harris's emphatic evidence that a change in the provisions under which buildings are to be erected in the city is imperatively necessary. The last point in the report of the committee to which we shall refer is one of finance. At various gatherings of the Brigado, festivo and otherwise, wo have been used to hear a great deal of the liberality of insurance offices. The worthy gentlemen who fill tho onerous offices of local agents on such occasions point in glowing terms of oratory to tho deep obligations their respective companies owo to tho Brigade. To their exertions on many occasions has been duo the fact that the insurance offices have only paid lossos to the extent of a few pounds when it might otherwise have been thousands. Such being the case, wo should have expected that when tho question of contribution towards tho support of a body so justly eulogised came up the gratitude of our insurance frjflnds would have found a practical method of expression in the shape of a liberal contribution. But judge of our surprise when wo read that tho contribution of the united Insurance Companies doiii"" business hero has not increased since 1873. At that time there were eio-ht offices, and the contribution was £2OO pev annum, small enough in all conscience, even when the limited number is considered. But in 1878 wo find that the eight offices have increased to eighteen; there is however no increase in° the subscription. These companies draw annually from us thousands of pounds in the shape of premiums; every improvement wo make in our Brigado or our water supply le6Bp»s their risk,

Over and over again, as admitted fay themselves, the exertions of the Brigade have saved thorn thousands of pounds of loss, and they value this at something like £lO per annum each. Whatever fault tho head offices may have to find "with their local agents, it is quite clear that extensive liberality in the matter of contributions cannot bo charged against them. But while this is so, we as citizens cannot shut om eyes to the fact that these companies are reaping a rich harvest amongst uo mainly by the efficiency of the very Brigade to which thoy contribute so niggardly. We cannot force them to contribute more generously, but the citizens can start a Mutual Insurance Company, which will at least have the effect, not only of reducing the rate of premiums, but also keeping in the city a large amount which now goes out of it. With tho improved water-supply scheme, which is contemplated, the risk woidd be considerably lessened, and no doubt a very large and profitable business would be done. Gratitude, it is said, te a lively sense of favours to come, and in that case the Insurance Companies, judging from their contritrations, do not entertain any very sanguine anticipations of favours in the future from the Fire Brigade. We trust, however, that on tho matter being brought before them by the Town Clerk, they will see that, liko our old friend Rip Van Winkle, thoy have fallen behind the times, and will no doubt, on their awakening, mako up, by the munificence of their future donations, for all past shortcomings.