FIRE ESCAPES.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXII, Issue 9020, 6 December 1907, Page 2

FIRE ESCAPES.

SIR.— I Tho i! pa thy of (lie Marten Borough Council in connection -vvitli the safe tv of the people is. appalling. On xuanv occasions tlio attention of the members Ims been dra wu to the necessity for providing efficient fireescapes from the Opera House, Invariably this very important question lias been shelved. Possibly they arc waiting for a serious catastrophe to take place before moving in the matter. On Wednesday night last the building was packed to the doors. Had the recent lire broken out between 8 and 10.30 p.ui. instead of during the afternoon there vrould, no doubt, have been a panic, and probablv loss of.lito in the struggle to got *out of the building. The present so-called lire escapes, when in position are merely death-traps. This the members of tlio Council are fully aware of and yet will not move in the direction of remedying. Proper and safe escapes should be provided at once, ami the manager instructed to b.tvo them in position when there is a largv, attendance at the. Opera House. At the fall of the curtain all exits should bo thrown open and the public educated to use the lire escapes, so as to empty the building as speedily as possible.- I am, etc, COLONIAL.