FIRE BOARD

Hokitika Guardian, 7 April 1933, Page 3

FIRE BOARD

HOKITIKA QUARTERLY MEETING

QUESTION OF NIGHTWATCHMAN

The Hokitika Fire Board held its annual meeting last evening when there were present Messrs A. R/Elcock 'chairman) IV. E. Braddon, S. Prcsiin, 'Gieen, and Bain, and the Supwb. tenclont \Mr J. J. Mclntosh).

The. minutes of the previous annual tiki quarterly meeting's were read and ■oi.ilirnuJ, and the cut ward cerres;om[e..ee approved. A!r Elcock wi.s re-elected chairman. lir,raid correspondence was read and dealt with as follows: In reply to the Levin Board it was leeide to advise them that no hoot ■llowano. 3 was made. , ' Notiikntion was received of the ap■•nintrnent of Mr S. J. Preston as Government member on the Board.

The Department of Internal Affairs forwarded a copy of the report of the fmoeefcof of Fire Brigades for the •ear ended March 31, 1033, also conies r.f the Eire Brigade Amendment Bill. The In-peetor '".rked for premiums r or the years 1029-31, the secretary adviring that lie bad rep bed to it. The Beard iconsidered the question of carrying out rannirs to the watch tower, ;i"d it. was decided that them ’•(' e iri:eel out, the matter being,left in the hands of the chairman and superintendent. The Board, accepted with regret t li e n-v.ignation of Mr S. W. Ridland, the niglit-watollman, members expressing appreciation of his earnest and faithful services, ft was decided that a letter of thanks be sent to Air Ridla nd.

Further tribute was paid by the Superintendent. Jfc w°.! decided that Mr Williams lie mpointel Lis sumcfisor.

Mr Bain nue^t‘o i- ol the practice of maintaining a night-watchman, and he exnre'-Tol the opinion that the time would s'on eoiro when it would cease. The money (ould well he used for other J Hokitika w;u about the only place in New /eulnud which bad a night-w.nl oh man. He war aware i.t was an old custom, and they would. “die hard,” hut the practice would soon ceC.sc.

■ The Superintenhyt said that sill'* his bi'-t report the brigade had only had one small outbreak, and very little damage war done. A rubbish fire oc curred on October 31, but was nof attended by any damage. The Superintendent referred to the recent visit of the Insooetor who libd exnres“ecl pleasure at the ins-potion. The memhei'ship was at full strength and two members Foreman C. R' - ss, and tin secretary (Mr J. G. Lakin) would atfend the conference in Wellington this, month, and would receive gold star medals for 25 years’ service. The

report enumerated the requirements in liij'way ol equipnm..t lor the coming jcLr. . 51 r Braddon defended the practice, and adkl that the watchman was a valuable asset.

Mr Green said that at Grcynfouth and Westport tney really relied on accident to hear of any outbreaks,- and they ; seeiiied to get iuong all right.' Superintendent Mclntosh said that more serious fire:, had occurred there than in Hokitika. Personally he was in favour of the watchman being retained. He imagined, - that, if a motion were tabled that night doing away wit'lt this officer, ha was sure they would bear more about it from tlie people of the town, in the Way of an indignation meeting or something like" t-hat. Mr Bain: But the time bus got to come, sometime. This ,£soo' a year is a lot of money.

Superintendent Mclntosh said that it would be a good scheme to have four or five men quartered, at the station.

Mr Bain said that during the night the'police were on their beat, and this Yu s a further aid m they would keep watch for'anything of this nature. A member: I’ve been in the streets after midnight but I have hardly seen a policeman on his beat. The Superintendent drew .attention to the good record Hokitika had regarding the small number of fires during recent years, and stressed the fact that the watchman had given alarms which resulted in the damage being less, than had the fire been left to be discovered by the public. He again said they would rui e the ire of tb? public if they did away with tlie watchman. They had gone into the 'alarm system, but it would cost £SO or £O3 a year.

.Mr Bain : Yes, but the watehmartris costing you £230. Mr Mclntosh said that in the past the watchman had been maintained by 'lie public, and if the matter came to i point ,he was sure that the rnteoayers would not mind contributing a little more to retain his cervices. Tlie mV-'(inn carried quite a lot of work, and he was worth more to the' Board t’r li wouldarpear at first sight. Mr Green suggested that tlie TVm-d engage the watchman at say £l5O a vear, and transfer £SO n year to the mpital expenditure fund as provided in the amended Act. Air Green said that the matter had Seen given a good airing and lie a 1 l-ed 'he members to keep the matter before

them. The financial statement showed remints ■'mounting to £177 and oxmu>diture to £2Ol. There was a credit at th.o, hank of £sl.