FIRE BRIGADES

Hokitika Guardian, 11 March 1931, Page 6

FIRE BRIGADES

ADDRESS RY (OBTAIN HUGO, fßy Tclcjiaph—Per Press A asocial ion ) NELSON. .March 10. Captain Hugo, Government .Eire Inspector, who is about to retire, addressed the Eire Brigade Conference today. He said that a higher state of efficiency in the brigades was essential in the Dominion. As to the lessons learned Irom the llawkes Bay disas-

ter. il was a mailer Hint affected the association very much. Regarding the lives ol liremeu. there was tlm matter of walis coming down and firemen being killed. The Association should take some part in these tilings, particularly since an Institute was to he inaugurated. He wished il success. Parapets and cornices, he said, were still being erected, notwithstanding the lessons they had had. He took up this matter some 20 \e.ns ago at the .Municipal ('oiilcrence at Wellington, and a number ~) resolutions were passed, but nothing eanm <>l them. In sonic part.

tlu l matter came up again aftei the .Murchison earthquake. Inti nothing was doin'. He was speaking last week to the President of tlm Institute of Architects, ami lie stated that, in one or two insia net's in Wellington, ornamentations had been removed from build-

ings. In one ea’•(•* ten lons was taken oil. When lie (the speaker) took the question up. the opinion scorned to prevail that overhanging parapets, etc. dropped straight down. When there

was a wall swaying with an immense weight oil it. it must throw itself across the read. This was only too well exemplified at Napier, when parts oi cornices and parapets were lying across the streets, many lives being | lost. He reiterated that, although we | had our lesson, nothing was lining done, and lie urged the Association, in the interests of its members, to take some part in this mntler. as thc lives of firemen wore at stake. Why should not buildings. lie asked, consist of some ol the (ire-resisting materials which were now on the market. Another matter that should he taken up was the filling of studs in three-storied buildings. Instead of filling in studs, thin were left open, if a lire got behind the lining, the firemen knew what it meant. 'I lie next, subject dealt with was lire hydrants, and the ball system, which was in vogue in New Zealand j at tlie present time, lit' sironglv re-

commended that., in future, ground hydrants should be installed. Vice-President Tyler expressed the thanks of the Association for the address. wished ('apt Hugo every happiness in his retirement. His services had been very much appreciated, and lie moved that a resolution to this effect bo recorded in tiio minutes. The election of officers resulted. - President: Supt. C. AY. Tyler (Rangioral : A r ice-Presidents. Sunt. Boon (New Plymouth!. Deputy Sunt .T. R. 4\ ilson (AFiltoiO ; Secretary-Treasurer. Air Osborne (Oiieliunga): Auditor. AFr AValter (Auckland). The following received Gold Stars.— P. H. Prestuey (Rangiora), W. AYildisli (Osborne), H. C. Trotman (Greytown), j

F. W . Jackson (Carterton'), ’l'. J. Wads (.Newmarket). Captain Hmto. in nayinu; ;i tribute to the work of the Fire Brigades in Napier and Hastings, at the time of the disaster, said that there had been columns oi eulogy in tlie press concern itut rite work of the navy. the nurses, tile medical men. and others, hat hardly a word if any of the splendid work ot the fire brigades. As. an eye witness of the disaster, he could say j that he did not believe any body of man had done finer work. He had seen some of the men drop from sheer exhaustion.