PREVENTION OF FIRES.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 53, 27 March 1909, Page 6

PREVENTION OF FIRES.

By Telegmph.—Press Assodatiou. Dunedin, March 2-1.

Tile subject of attempting to lessen the frequency of lires by holding an official inquiry regarding every outbreak has been receiving considerable attention lately, and was mentioned at a meeting of the Dunedin Fire Board to-day.

Mr Stronach made reference to the statement recently credited to Inspector Hugo concerning the prevention of putbreaks of lire. He remarked that the matter had been taken up by the newspapers, and it was said that the remedy would be an enquiry into every lire. JU' Look that view himself, ami it probably came within the functions of the board i.o express an opiuion. lie moved:" That this hoard is of opinion that the view ascribed by the newspapers to Inspector Jingo, namely, that a coronor's iuquesl should be held as to thu cause of every lire, is sound, and the Minister of internal Affairs be written to with the object of enlisting his support in an ell'ort to induce the (.government to so arrange, and that a copy of the resolution be forwarded to the other lire boards in the Dominion."

The chairman was of opinion tlial an inquest held into every tire would, by making people more careful, considerably reduce the percentage of outbreaks.

Mr Wilson did not see the advisability of holding an enquiry into the circumstances of every little lire, and favoured a scheme by which the holding of inquiries would be subject to the discretion of the chairman. Otherwise, w'ueve were they going to draw the line ? in the general discussion which followed, Mr Arkle expressed the opinion that the board already possessed the power of holding enquiry into the causes of lires whenever it considered such necessary, and that the motion, in its present form was therefore not necessary.

The motion was duly seconded and carried.