FALSE ALARMS

Hokitika Guardian, 23 January 1930, Page 7

FALSE ALARMS

A BOY PUNISHED. CHRISTCHURCH January 18. An example was made to-day of mischievous boys who annoy the Fire Brigade by giving malicious false alarms. It has been a serious trouble with the brigade for years, and efforts have been made to stamp it out but not yery successfully. Accordiiig to evidence given in the Children's Court this morning when the two boys were convicted of the offence they worked together, one of them, calling out the brigade nine times and the other once. Their offences, spread over two months,- were committed between 7 p.m. and ten minutes after mid-night in all parts'.of the city. Chief-Detective Carroll said that as each alarm cost the brigade £6 to turn out the total loss was £6O. During tthe past twelve months there were no fewer that 128 malicious false alarms in the city. ‘‘l .suggest that an example should be made,” the chief-detective, said.

Superintendent C. G’. Warner said that in addition to the expense of turning out,, the brigade paid a reward of £5 for information leading to a conviction. In the present case the board’s total expense was £65. Apart from that there was a risk to the firemen’s lives. During the past eight years throe men had been killed when brigades had been going to’ fires, In each case the alarm , was a malicious false one. Malicious false . alarms were increasing-' MT H. P. Lawry, S.MI, said that the boy chiefly implicated must, pay the reward of £5 at a rate to be fixed.- He would be placed under the child welfare officer’s supervision for two years. He would not be allowed out after 8.30. p.m. without permission. The other boy, who was the elder was placed under ’ supervision for eighteen months without restrictions except those found necessary by the child welfare officer.