PUBLIC INQUIRY

Waikato Times, Volume 122, Issue 20509, 27 May 1938, Page 9

PUBLIC INQUIRY

CHRISTCHURCH FIRE INTERESTS OF PUBLIC SAFETY LLOYDS' MANAGER'S REQUEST (By Telegrapn.—press Association) CHRISTCHURCH, Thursday A request for a public inquiry Into fire fighting methods in Christchurch was strongly supported by the manager of the local branch of Lloyds’ Insurance Company, Mr W. B. Honour to-day. Mr Honour said the questions regarding the tactics employed by the brigade in combating the Are which caused extensive damage at MacDuffs building and the State Theatre on Monday morning had been answered by Superintendent A. Morrison to the full satisfaction of his company but the question did not end there. Although Superintendent Morrison had given satisfactory answers, it was not clear that factors over which he had no control contributed largely to the destruction of the buildings. At this point it was for the public authorities to step in and hold an investigation. The possibility was that some serious structural faults would be shown .and that these were the basic cause of the spread of the Are. “Lead Should Be Given” "In the interest of public safety the incidence of two serious Ares within a few days of each other and the presence of factors that made the work of the brigade ineffectual to prefent heavy losses, a public inquiry into /all aspects of Are Aghting in the city is warranted,” said Mr Honour. He added that his company was not looking on the question from a commercial standpoint but thought that a lead should be given to public opinion. Any question of an Inquiry would have no bearing on settlement of the claims which were being dealt with as speedily as possible. Mr Honour added that while the chairman of the Fire Board, Mr T. M. Charters, appeared to be mainly concerned with combating the award conditions that he considered likely to affect the efficiency of the brigade, this was not the main issue in Mr Honour's opinion. Scope of Investigation He wanted to correct any impression that might have been drawn from the remarks he made yesterday that Mr Charters was attempting to avoid discussion on the main issue. What he wished to imply was that if the inquiry was conAned to the operation of the "award other important questions would not receive attention. In addition to examination of the conditions prescribed in the award, the scope of the investigation should be widened so that it could deal with the strength of the brigade, the condition of the equipment itself and the question of enrolling and training auxiliary firemen for service in cases of emergency. The inquiry should also be comprehensive enough to deal with the building by-laws, which seemed to require revision.