The Standard AND PEOPLES ADVOCATE. (PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY AND SATURDAY.) WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 1874.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume III, Issue 223, 18 November 1874, Page 2

The Standard AND PEOPLES ADVOCATE. (PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY AND SATURDAY.)

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 1874.

“ vVe shall sell to no man justice or right: We shall deny to no mu justice or right: We shall defer to no man justice or right.”

“ When a strongman, armed, keepeth “ his palace, his goods are in peace.” Such is the record ; but if meu will not arm themselves against a common foe, they cannot expect to have either peace or security. When the enemy sleepeth, then is the time for making such preparations as will effectually curb his vengeance, or overcome his might, when he riseth to destroy. The question we propose, rather than discuss to-day, for the consideration of our readers, is that of protection from, or the possession of the means of repressing fire. It is but a truism to say that we have long enjoyed an immunity from those disasters which, periodically, visit most communities, and lay low the industry of years ; still it would be unwise to build up a false theory in the hope that the common calamity will not, sooner or later overtake us. There not only ought not to be any divergence of opinion on the necessity of making provision in this direction; but there can be none as to a continued delay in the prosecution of this matter being an obvious dereliction of; duty—amounting to moral crime. With the natural water advantages at our very doors, which the town of Gisborne enjoys, it would be a heinous shame to remain inactive until ® tire devastated part of the buildings in it; and we know not when this may happen. Houses, Stores, Hotels, and other buildings, all built of wood, a few only with uninflammable roofs, are becoming rath-eenumerous. Take, for instance, those composing what is called “ Head’s Block what means have we at caasKvand to even temporarily subdue®fir-6 if once fairly started in any part of it? And still the Turanganui river runs round two sides of it, and within a fewyards from its most distant point. The same caution applies to almost any other individual building in the town ; if those in its immediate neighborhood did not ignite, it would probably fall a sacrifice. But the matter requires no further illustration.

-As we have said, all must admit the necessity for action, the thing to consider is, the means. We have two proposals to make. First, the utilization of Messrs. Whitson’s Brewery /•not to turn on the beer, but) for a ’Water supply: Second, the procuring of either a land or marine fire engine. We do not profess to give an opinion on the subject, but we are permitted to state that the Messrs. Whitson will be prepared to favorably consider any feasible preposition put before them, with a view to further increase the body of water at all times available in their reservoir. The roughlyconsidered aspect of this affair, seems, to us, to be rather an inviting one, chiefly on account of the inexpensiveness of either proposal—the value of property at risk being duly estimated. The idea of the first proposal, so far as it has been developed is, to connect the reservoir by means of a pipe leading to a plug to be permanently fixed in some convenient part of the town—■ the great height of the water level giving sufficient motive power to play upon any building within some considerable distance through a hose leading from the plug. Then comes the question, will the reservoir contain a sufficiency of water to play for hours, and in all, or most parts of the town, to be of any material assistance in the extinguishment of a fire? But that we leave for practical heads to discuss. The greater utility of an engine seems to be apparent at first sight, on account of the means of removal from one spot to another ; but, on the other hand, if taken too far away from the water source, its usefulness is immediately reduced to nil, as, at present, there is not an abundant private water supply in the township, beyond the distance that an engine would be able to pump from the river, or a hose play from the Brewery. We commend these crude suggestions to the careful consideration of our fellow settlers. And as to funds, there should be still less difficulty in providing them, than in planning out a design for the general weal. There are five Fire Insurance offices in the totfn, all of which, have, w r e believe, more or less risk on hand, and it is but reasonable to suppose that they would co-operate in furthering the good work, by subscribing each its quota. The Road Board would also give a grant in aid; the Provincial Government ought to follow suit, all of which, should provide a sufficiency of the needful against the day of necessity. Premiums too, which have lately been increased some 20 per cent, in risky situations, would again be lowered, and a sense of comparative security would reign in place of the present insecurity and dread of the possible consequences of fire.