THE GLOBE. TUESDAY, JULY 6, 1880.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 1986, 6 July 1880, Page 2

THE GLOBE. TUESDAY, JULY 6, 1880.

The acquiescence by the Fire Brigade Committee of the Council in the Bill promoted by Mr. Superintendent Harris in the interests of the United Fire Brigade Association shows that the opposition raised to it was more as regarded the mode of its introduction than to its provisions. From some remarks made at a recent public meeting it seems that the point of the Bill is somewhat misunderstood. Of course the words “ increased taxation ” have only to be mentioned to at once raise a storm of indignation, but those who have made so much fuss about this Bill forget that increased taxation will but seldom eventuate. Really it comes to the same thing whether the people pay by a small special rate or out of the general rates, so that upon this point there can be no objection to the Bill at all. It will, as we have already pointed out, enable small municipalities to keep up their local Fire Brigade by a rate when they could not do so out of their ordinary yearly rates, but it will probably not affect the larger centres of population at all unless they desire it, so that the provision is an exceedingly harmless one. It is to be regretted that Superintendent Harris had not taken stops to make the Bill more public, and consulted the City Council prior to its introduction. That they would have coincided with it is shown by the readiness with which the Committee have recommended its endorsation by the Council. Had steps been taken to obtain this at first there would Lave been no need for the expression of opinion as to the Bill which fell on a previous meeting from the members of the City Council. The Council have, however, forwarded a few suggestions to the mover of the Bill in the House. One of the most important relates to the authority in whom power shall bo invested during a fire. The draft of the Bill provides that a chief fire inspector shall bo appointed by the Municipality. The Council suggests that more than one fire inspector be appointed, so that apparently when the principal one is not there, the next one shall take his place. The Bill would appear to provide for the chief inspector being able to delegate his powers in case of absence. The amendment suggested by the Council goes in the direction of putting a veto on such a proposal and leaving the choice of other inspectors in the hands of the Corporation. This may not seem a very important point, and probably would not be in nine cases out of ten, but so much soreness as to the holding power during fires has been exhibited in certain quarters—wo allude to the species of jealousy unfortunately existing

here between the fire brigade and fire police—that it may be shown that the point is of more weight than might at first be imagined possible.

Some time ago wo pointed out in a series of articles the inconvenience, nay annoyance, caused to tbo public by tbo congregation on the footpath in Gloucester street of cabmen and others. So groat had this become that so far as respectable persons, especially females, were concerned, the southern side of the street referred to, from the Central Hotel to the Palace Hotel, was closed. The City Council, after considerable pressure had been brought to boar upon thorn, decided upon putting the cabs, that had boon allowed to stand alongside the footway, into the centre of the road, So far as this is concerned there certainly has been an improvement. But though this is so, the cabmen and their friends who used to monopolise the sidewalk have been to a certain extent succeeded by a still less desirable class of persons, viz,, women of tbe lowest typo who, together with drunken men, congregate n front of a well-known establishment in the street, using the most disgraceful language such as should never be permitted to be used in the public streets. The consequence is that to a very large extent respectable persons are prevented from passing along there, or if they do their ears are saluted by anything hut the most refined language. Now that onr local temple of the drama is to be rehabilitated, it is only right that those who wish to frequent it should be enabled to do so, and to take their wives and daughters with them without having iheir eyes and ears shocked by the scenes which are enacted nightly in one part of the street through which they have to pass. It does seem strange that this should occur while a policeman is patrolling past. Such characters as we have alluded to certainly should not ho allowed to hold possession of a part of the city to the exclusion of respectable citizens. The scenes alluded to are a disgrace to our community, and it is certainly high time that steps were taken by the police to check what is becoming a most intolerable nuisance. Unless it is, it will be impossible for any one having the least spark of respect for his wife, daughter, or female friend to pass along to the theatre by the only convenient way it can ho approached.