PALMERSTON LEADS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 122, 1 September 1910, Page 5

PALMERSTON LEADS.

record for f:::es._ By Telegraph.—Press Association. '**■ Palmerston North; August 31. The Hon. Mr. Buddo opened the new fire station this afternoon. The station is in Cuba str«et, west. Its architect, iMr. West, was the first secretary and second captain of the original Palmerston Fire Brigade. Mr. Buddo paid a wsirm tribute to the volunteer brigades now passed away under the Fire Board regime. He quoted! statistics to show that Palmerston heads the list in fires, having had 32 for the year ending 1906, 36 for the year ending last "June, when, as Mr. Buddo said, there were special circumstances. A comparative statement shows that Auckland's record for fires was 1.33 per 1000 of the population; Christchurch, 1.617; Dunedin, 1.034; nnd Palmerston, 3.403 per 1000 of the people.. Last year Palmerston thus easily headed the list. Mr. Buddo said he regretted that, owing to pressure this session, it had been impossible to give legislative effect to the recommendations of the Fire Brigades' Conference, especially that of extending the powers of . a superintendent to the demolition of houses at fires which .he might attend beyond his own immcdiato district. If he demolished a house outsie hdis own district now the Fire Board might be held liable. Yet he might be called from time to time to deal with fires outside his boundaries. There were representatives present from Wellington, Masterton, Feilding, and many other places.