THE Hauraki Plains Gazette. With winch is incorporated THE OHINEMURI GAZETTE. Motto : Public Service. MONDAY. WEDNESDAY. & FRIDAY. MONDAY, MARCH 17, 1924. FIRE-FIGHTING APPLIANCES.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXV, Issue 4675, 17 March 1924, Page 2

THE Hauraki Plains Gazette. With winch is incorporated THE OHINEMURI GAZETTE. Motto : Public Service. MONDAY. WEDNESDAY. & FRIDAY. MONDAY, MARCH 17, 1924. FIRE-FIGHTING APPLIANCES.

It is very pleasing to learn that the T’ai.'i'pa Borough Council intends making a uufinite move in the matter of providing adequate fire-fighting ap-rih-m-es in the borough, and> any improvements effected will be welcome, and will doubtlessly receive th? hearty support of the residents. That the present equipment is hopelessly inadequate has been proved times out of number, and it has to he remembered that in nearly every instance of a f.re in the borough the building h:w been badly gutted before the flit was under control —rarely has a conflagration been checked in its early stages. It is no fault of the volunteer firomen, who work valiantly, but simply that they are hampered in their undertaking by the lack of facilities. Captain- Watts, in his address at the opening of the new fire station .stressed the point that the brigade should be supplied at once with a motor reel, f he cost of which was estimated at about £275. Naturally enough, during these times of flnan cial stringency, the council views the cost with apprehension, but it. is open to discussion whether such a large sum need be spent, as it has been suggested that a motor vehicle could be converted into a reel that would suffice for some years to come for a much lower expenditure. Captain Watts also emphasised the need for mi improved alarm system, and favoured the wiring system. Althougn in the future two firemen are to sleep at the Station, it Is hard to perceive how matters will be greatly improved, a.s it will still be necessary for a resident of the Puke to journey to tho

station rouse the firemen on duty, and then proceed to the bell i’> Prince:. Street and give the general alarm. The double wiring system sound., the only practicable one, as by thi means an alarm button could be installed, say, near the. railway crossing in Hill Str- et. to uu the firebell r?i:ging; and at the same time an indicator could bo installed in the .slation so as to give the iisemen mi duty an indication as to tl-e vicinity of Ihe tile, l-'.y such means valiiaide time v.o ’lil ho saved. A similar system ..‘oiild he installed at the other eru] o p the borough. it indivd comforting to know tliat t' o .Mayor !-■ ful'y- a’ivc to the position as it oxi. ts today, and ha.' ur.dei consideration a scheme for enlarging the size of the water pipes some .ime after July of this year. To lav some 15 mile- of four-inch pipes in the borough is going to be a eostlv and lengthy undertaking, although a decidt lly necessary one, and it would be well north while proceeding with the im-tor reel anil improved alarm system forthwith, ;>s the cost of both would not bo heavy and the value is inestimable. Apart from the fact that when such improvements are effecteo the rates for fire insurance premr.ms may be reduced ini the borough, it will give the ratepayers th*'* feeling of added security that the chances of the total destruction of their homes have been considerably lessened.