FIRE PREVENTION.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXX, Issue 5467, 28 August 1929, Page 3

FIRE PREVENTION.

INSTRUCTION IN SCHOOLS. PRACTICE NOT GENERAL. Interviewed with reference to the article in Wednesday’s issue dealing with Mr Atmore’s statement in the House on the subject of “Fire Prevention in Schools,” Secretary Malcolm, station officer to the Paeroa Fire Brigade, and author of the adopted fire prevention lessons, was very reticent in giving an expression of opinion. He said that the matter was now completely out of his hands and in those of the United Fire Brigades* Association of N.Z. This body had for years been endeavouring to arouse some public check to the rapidly mounting fire waste of the Dominion, and when in 1928 the secretary’s set of lessons for schools in fire prevention was discovered and brought before the Fire Conference at New Plymouth, the executive was empowered to proceed to Wellington, where, it was reported, they were most enthusiastically received by the Director* of Education, who, according to Press reports, promised that the lessons would be included in the new syllabus of instruction then under construction. Quoting from the U.F.B.A. secretary’s address to the Hokitika Fire Conference, 1929, Secretary Malcolm read the following extract: “Although we received an assurance that it would be given effect to and printed in the new school syllabus, we regret that it is left optional with the teachers to give the lessons. . . . It is greatly to be regretted that the promise of the Director of Education to incorporate the approved system of fire lessons in the new syllabus was not approved of. He had a golden opportunity of rendering a national service to the community as a whole. It must be obvious to all that the time to instil thoroughly the necessity of fire nrevention in the minds of our successors is in the school period, and the nature of the lessons will appeal to the young mind. Individual schools have adopted them, and I am assured that the scholars eagerly look forward to and quickly assimilate the lessons.” Again, quoting from his own addres at the same. conference, Secretary Malcolm said • “Tbe lessons were published, but not in the syllabus ; In the Education Gazette of August 1, 1928, they appeared in the hands of teachers, but there is nothing to require any teacher to use them; in, fact, there was no suggestion that they should do so. . • . With the present public apathy there is every probability that hundreds would pass the lessons by on seeing the heading. The new syllabus has been issued : the great opportunity has been lost.” On being questioned as to the statements the Hon. Atmore made—that provision was made in the revised school syllabus for instruction in dealing with such dangers as fire; that fire drill was regularly practised in many schools, and that the lessons which appeared in the Education Gazette were issued for use by teachers in the instruction which they would give to pupils on the subject—Mr Malcolm replied : The situation is heartbreaking—for want of a better word. Here we have the heaviest per capita fire loss in the world; other countries are substantially reducing theirs by means of education—Britain, Germany, United States of America, Italy, France —and in New Zealand the United Fire Brigades have actually to fight for this outstandingly necessary economic reform.”

In answer to the Minister’s statements, continued Mr Malcolm, “be it said that the. mention of fire prevention in the syllabus is so infinitesimal as to amount to an insult to the fire service when mentioned ; that I know of no schools where fire drill is regularly practised or has been practised during this current year ; that I kt-.ow of not more than three teachers who could find last year’s Gazette containing the fire lessons.” On being asked what actual recognition the lessons had received from the authorities, the secretary, Wiring to his file, produced a news cutting quoting the advisory superintendent of the United Fire Brigades’ Association inwhich it was mentioned that they were “the best in the world.’ - He also quoted from the Government Inspector of Fire Brigades’ report to Parliament, wherein the lessons, described as “quite on the best lines I have yet seen,” were urged to be made part of the curriculum in State schools.

Another letter of appreciation, from the then Minister of Education, the Hon. R. A. Wright, expressed pleasure that such valuable matter should be taught. Among other correspondence was a letter of appreciation from the Auckland Fire Board seeking remission to secure a copy of the lessons and type a hundred sets. The secretary said, however, that he was still optimistic, in spite of the appalling public ignorance and apathy, and stated that his latest correspondence from the secretary of the United Fire Brigades’ Associat’on had indicated that negotiations were far from lapsing, and that inquiries into the Minister’s statement were being made.