FIRES IN THE BOROUGH.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XL, Issue 1879, 19 September 1918, Page 3

FIRES IN THE BOROUGH.

(To the Editor.)

Sir. —Eoxton has again been visited by that grim monster, fire. Incendiarism is again suspected. It is high time something was done to check these fires at their outset, thereby probably saving the town from total destruction. Fire Juts no respect for valuable property, and consumes everything within its reach that will burn. May I make a suggestion, perhaps often thought of by others, but never expressed? Could the borough afford to pay a night-watchman to patrol the borough within the boundary, supply him with a horse, and instruct him to keep his eyes open? A good many of these fires may be prevented in this manner. We have a tire-bell, and if rung lustily makes a. good elattei —enough to wake any light sleeper. Should the nightwatchman see a fire in its incipient sliige he could possibly pul it out with a bucket of water. If not, he could soon raise an alarm, and with the help of a few more could master a fire before much damage was done. There is no water in any 'quantity and with force enough to (■ope with a fire in Foxton, and many a willing would-be fireman has worked hard to save property here, hut his labour has been in vain. Business people# must grin and hear it when they see their capital going no in smoke, and it’s a good job some of them are insured, 100. Could not the recently-talked-of salvage corps get a manual pump and reel"?_There is inexhanstahle water in the river, and with the aid of a little manual effort it could he pumped to the main street at least. A most noticeable tiling is that most of the fires in I'oxton have occurred between Saturday and Monday, which is very curious. There are two policemen in the town. A good plan would he to have one on night duty, which would he company for the nightwatchman, I see that Otaki has recently acquired a fire-engine, and other appliances. I don’t know whether that town has a water supply or not, but what’s the matter with Foxton? Two big grading stores, containing tons of fibre, and not a drop of water to put it out should it catch tire. One of the most important industries carried on in the town, and no water. What’s to prevent the whole hang lot going up in smoke? One Avould think that business people of long standing in this town would make a vast effort to obtain water and firefighting appliances in their own interests. But no, they rush to see a fire, and stand watching valuable property going up in smoke, helpless! Well, Sir, no doubt (hese few remarks have often been discussed by Foxtoniles time after time, hut as an individual who would like to see Foxton progress into some useful town —I am etc., FIREFLY.