A WISE PRECAUTION.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume I, Issue 51, 8 October 1887, Page 2

A WISE PRECAUTION.

The Borough Council has acted very wisely in adopting the suggestion of Mr Faram, Fire Inspector, relative to the galleries in the Theatre Royal and the Academy of Music.

At first sight these suggestions might appear to be the result of over-officious-ness, but recent events in England and Paris have shown us the absolute necessity for precautionary measures. The awful catastrophes which occurred through the burning of the Exeter Theatre and Paris Opera Comique will be fresh in the memory of all. Those are recent instances that cannot be ovei looked—the heart-rending tales of those learful occurrences are sad to contemplate, even at this period. " From every evil springs a good,” and the eyes of the world have been opened to the danger of a repetition of such scenes. The English and Continental Press has taken the matter up vigorously, and much improvement has taken place in many of the larger theatres.

The proprietors of both halls here should cheerfully undertake the necessary alterations, for they must see that in case of an alarm the means of egress from the galleries are totally inade quate. Every provision seems to have been made in the body of the halls for personal safety in the event of fire, but the reverse appears to be the case with the galleries. In McFarlane’s Hall, for instance, the staircase leading to the gallery is steep and extremely narrow, and the admission to this is by

a door opening inwards. What must be the result if a panic occurred through an alarm of fire ? The occupants would immediately rush to the only means of egress, and in a few moments the staircase would be blocked; in their desperation the crowd might even prevent the door being opened, and the result would be that few would escape an awful death, In the gallery of the Theatre Royal, also, the exit is totally inadequate, and Mr Faram’s report should receive immediate attention.

The incident which occurred only a few nights ago in McFarlane’s Hall shows how necessary this is. On that night there was a large audience in the building, the gallery being occupied by a number of ladies. An alarm of fire was rung out, and in an instant there was a rush for the doors in the body of the Hall, and a rush for the staiicase by those occupying the gallery. Fortunately the alarm was proved to be a false one before there was utter confusion, otherwise things would have turned out most disastrously. As it was the staircase was quickly blocked by excited females, and one gentleman was nearly trampled to death in the rush.

Until proper alterations are made in the direction indicated in the report, the galleries should be closed, Those alterations should be under the super, vision of the Fire Inspector, and should be complete in every particular, The expense necessary to do this should in no way be considered. That must be subservient to the safety of the public, and the proprietors will have to be prepared to undertake a means of egress sufficient to ensure easy escape.