THE GLOBE. THURSDAY, AUGUST 7, 1879.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1705, 7 August 1879, Page 2

THE GLOBE. THURSDAY, AUGUST 7, 1879.

Quit readers have doubtless observed from the telegrams recently published that a salvage corps has been formed in Wellington in conjunction with the local Fire Brigade. It might be well to consider whether we, here in Christchurch, could not yet add still further to our Are prevention appliances by the formation of a similar corps. The Fire Police are one instance of the good arising from the formation of bodies of this character. They have done good service on more occasions than one, and tho citizens have not been slow to recognise their efforts. In advocating the formation, therefore, of a salvage corps, wo by no moans wish to detract from tho praise duo to the Fire Police, hut would endeavour to point out how such a body as a salvage corps might be made a valuable auxiliary, not only of tho Fire Police, hut the Fire Brigade as a whole. Both the Brigade and the Fire Police have their respective duties to attend to, and can hardly he expected to he able to do much salvage work. That duty is, in many instances, left to tho general public, and tho result is that a large percentage of goods are damaged in removal, because the work is done by inexperienced hands. But with a salvage corps, tho members of which should ho mainly storemen, expressmen, and others habituated to the moving of goods, both light and heavy, with celerity and safety, were it necessary that a large warehouse should be cleared, tho affair could ho completed in a space of time much shorter than is now possible. Such a corps would, wo think, he found of groat service to both tho existing bodies, as they would then ho enabled to coufiue themselves to their respective duties, with tho knowledge that any orders from the chief of tho fire-preven-tion corps for the removal of goods to a place of safety would he carried out efficiently and speedily. Wo hope to see some stops taken to form such a corps in Christchurch. The Mayor might call a meeting of those willing to form such a one as would, wo feel sure, ho of groat service to the citizens at large. The exact status of tho corps, whether it should, to a certain extent, he independent or partially absorbed into tho Fire Police, would, of course, ho a more matter of detail; wo are merely treating of the value of a body of exports being got together, who would, during'; fires, render such assistance to their fellow-citizens as could ho obtained in no other manner.

We live in a pushing and puffing ago. The system of advertising has boon developed into a science; fortunes are made by traders and individuals who are careful to lay before the world at large the intrinsic excellence of their wares or the value of their systems. But there is a limit to all things mundane. The noble art of making the most of a good, or oven of a bad, thing can bo carried to extremes which will not commend themselves to anybody. Wo do not allude to advertising in a paper, because no man’s idea of the sublime and the beautiful can be injured by the appearance in the shoots of a morning or evening journal of a trade or business announcement, however large may be the typo, or however startling the illustration annexed. Even that cheerful picture of a coffin, under which our friend “ tho renowned herbalist and chiropodist,” Professor Gusscott, informs

tho world that lie “ lias recently awakened to tlie fact of Ills being under a painful delusion,” does not strike very cold on the asthetic suseeptibilitos of tlie reader. On the contrary, ho gaily passes over the coffin to dive into tho details of the advertisement. But there are methods of puffing that curdle tho blood. On the western face of tho now Government Buildings is to be soon a largo black board, on which is painted in letters of gold, “ Government Life Insurance.” This board runs across a considerable portion of that front. For some reason or other, it has been thought advisable by tho powers that bo to erect this abortion, notwithstanding tho fact that in two of the windows tho existence of tho office was previously notified in characters that can bo seen quite plainly from tho other side of tlie square. It is not tho general opinion that tho buildings have much beauty to spare. When the eye roams from tho extinguisher on the top down to tho very base, it is not likely to bo either cheered or elevated by the operation. As with tho weaker sex, so with buildings. Those which have little natural comeliness should not play tricks in the matter of ornamentation. It is all very well to say that tho competition between the various insurance offices is so keen that it is necessary, at all hazards, to force the attention of the public. The existence of the Government office was perfectly patent before, aud every rightminded man would flee from, rather than bo attracted by, tho shoddy-looking signboard. “ Good wine needs no bush,” aud thoso who are likely to insure in the Government office do not need to be harrowed by such an exhibition. At least, if tho thing is to be done at all, it should bo done thoroughly. Why not run up some such notice as this: Insurance office! Enormous sacrifice! Perfect safety! Tho actuaries nonplussed ! Life is uncertain, therefore insure ! Are you married P then insure ! Are you likely to be married ? then insure ! Are you unmarried ? still insure !” Any neat little notice such as this would have tlie effect of still further catching tho eye, and would be worthy of tho brilliant genius who has developed tho plan now in force.