THE KAIAPOI FIRE INQUIRY

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 61, 20 November 1907, Page 2

THE KAIAPOI FIRE INQUIRY

Per Press Association. Christchurch, Last Night. The Christchurch Fire Board held an inquiry to-night concerning the flre at the Kaiapoi Company's warehouse on Wednesday morning last. The evidence showed that the two city brigades turned out very promptly after the alarms were given, and a motion to that effect was carried. Several of the witnesses stated that if an automatic firealarm system had been installed throughout the warehouse the alarm would have been received quite three hours earlier, and it would then have been possible to have checked the outbreak and have prevented the entire destruction of the building and contents. Several suggestions made as the outcome of the fire were referred to the plant and staff committee. Judging from the naturo of cable messages received by the manager of the Kaiapoi Woollen Company, it would seem that an entirely false impression exists abroad as to the extent of the fire which destroyed one of the Kaiapoi Company's buildings. The flre, as is well known locally, occurred in the warehouse, where the offices were also located, and the mills and clothing factory and the bulk stores, being in different localities, were not affected ta the least. T)ie stability"~&nd" prospects of the company are nowise affected, and the business wil]Jje carried on as usual, temporary promises having been pro-, cured for the warehouse and offices. No hands have been thrown out of employi niv.-iit, and since the fire full wages have been paid to all who worked in tha warehouse that was destroyed.