DOORS OPEN OUTWARDS.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 4, Issue 1103, 19 June 1882, Page 3

DOORS OPEN OUTWARDS.

• To The Editor. Sir.—At the present time the means of egress from our publio buildings are Badly insufficient. I believe without exception ' tii'o three churches, both Halls,'and the Institute all have the' doors' of the' main entrance to'open inward instead of outwards. They are all lighted with kerosene, and what the effect would be vere a lamp to burst can well be imagined through what has occurred at other places. At a large theatre in Melbourne a few days since, some larrikin raised an alarm of fire, and the scene which followed was describid as terrible to witness, many people. being seriously injured in the crush. This occurred when no fire could be seen, but with the blaze in front of tliera what, would becomo of the audience who uw. uufortunate enough to be near the in any of otir Carterton churches or Halls ? The main entrance to the Institute is miserably small considering the crowds of men, women; and children often- to bo found within its walls. I believe our local authorities have the necessary power to compel all public buildings to provide ample mi'.is of egress, and now that the' carpenters are at work at two of the churches, they ought to see that the doors are made to to open outward and notices to that effect poßted on the doors. The doors at the institute should he altered before, another large,meeting took place there. It is a safe thing to say that should our fire bell ring,during:.the progress of one of the Winter Entertainments, some one - would be injured in' their, anxiety to ascertain the cause of alarm, and I hope that our Town Board will, so far aB they can, lessen the ohances of the accidents likely to arise from the defective means of leaving our places of publio resort. : I am &c., ' EalhiE. Armstrong. ' 'Cartorton, 16th June 1882. ■ ■ •