WELLINGTON'S FIRE RECORD

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8381, 15 March 1907, Page 7

WELLINGTON'S FIRE RECORD

Superintendent Hugo stated at the Welli igton Fire Brigada's dinner, on Wednesday evening, that the Brigade has been called oat 213 times last year—or, rathsr, in the last 11 £ months. Of these calls 22 were faise alarms, of which 12 were given maliciously, 21 were Chimney tires, 51 gorse fives, and 112 actual fires in buildings. Of the false alarms, six were given in the first three months, and six in the last months. He attributed the diminution in the class of c ffence to the caution and punishment administered by Dr. McArthur in certain cases which had been brought under his notice. ,He commented o i the largp number of calls received, and said the average was far too high for a city like Wellington. In the city of Bradford, with a population of 300,000 people, only 131 calls were received—B7 less than in Wellington. He instituted other comparisons, and declared that there was something very wrong. New Zsalard had a very unenviable reputation for fires. Save for the outbreak on the Quay and the fire at Mein Street, the majority, of the | fires had bten the cause of little loss of property. He advised the extension of the water supply service—a brigade was like an army—it was no use sending it out without ammunition, so to speak. Supsiintendent Hugo also alluded to the danger of fire through earthquakes. Winery. earthquakes occurred—and Wellington ws peculiarly subject to them - there was always a dang r of a serious outbreak of fire. 'lf a severe outbreak d d ctke place," he sjid, "we have not g:t the mn to 'work' the fires, and if we had .he men we have not got the accommodation for them." People were too much inclined to picture the stnt° of things 15 or 16 year.* ago, a d gave no thought to the future. Jn speaking of earthquakes, he would tdvise those who had electric light in their dvvil!injs to immediately turn it off whin a severe eutrttwiuake took After earthquakes all chim:i?ys should be exi;nined for defect-;. People never realised I'm number of lires that which hud been caused by defective chimneys. Flat roofs and protected win-'-oAS were mitters which also required attention. it some of the buildings on ths Quay destroyed by the fire in Oe ober la it hid been protected thsy been intact, today. This - method of protection had bee.i expensively adopted in America a:>d oilier countries, and t lere was no reason why the same th ig should not bs the case here.