SUBURBAN FIRE FIGHTING.

Auckland Star, Volume XLV, Issue 17, 20 January 1914, Page 6

SUBURBAN FIRE FIGHTING.

MOITNT EDEN PLABTT. QUESTION OF INSURANCE RATES. ■Mount Eden borough covers quite • considerable.area, ajt& when a Ifire occurs on the outskirts, it not infrequently happens that the buildingis gutted before the brigade arrives. This occurred yesterday "morning in <the case <rf an outbreak at the (Mount Eden ■tram, terminus. Xeat sight, when the Mount Eden Borough Council met, the Mayor (Mr. O, Nicholson) said he had gathered from a- report appearingin that afternoon's paper, that although the borough -possessed a motor reel, the brigade had arrived with one of the old hand reels after the building was in ruins. Mr. E. H. Potter-eaid it was true fiat a hand reel had had to be used. That was because the Council bad not yet appointed-a driver for iie motor reel The brigade had done excellent woTk on the occasion in question, however, and it wag only due to the efforts of the firemen that the buildings on either eide had been: saved. . Mx. Meikle asked -what was going to be .done in regard to the appointment of a driver for the motor reel. The Mayor said it would be necessary to appoint someone without delay. The captain of the brigade (Mr. liams) eaid that one or two members of the present brigade were anxious to qualify for the. position. The Mayor,remarked that he had no doubt the Council would regard such an arrangement cc exceedingly eartisfactorv. At the same time, he was inclined io be a little dubious as to the-success they ■were likely to attain with the motor plant. It was certainly going to be a costly nasi ness. Mr. Meikle: Insurance rates are bound to go down. The Mayor: I am not so sure about that.

Eventually the matter was left in the hands of a sub-committee for further inquiry.