FALSE ALARMS OF FIRE.

Press, Volume XLIV, Issue 19389, 15 August 1928, Page 13

FALSE ALARMS OF FIRE.

DISCUSSED BY BOARD.

GANG OPERATING IN CITY ?

The practice—at present prevalent in the City—of giving false alarms of fire, was the subject of a discussion by the Christchurch Hre Board, at its meeting last evening, ia the course of which it was suggested that the alarm circuits in the districts affected should be out off from the central station. This, however, was not adopted. The Superintendent (Mr Chas. C. Warner) reported that during midnight en Saturday, August 4th, four malicious false alarms had been received in one hour from the street boses in Waltham road, It was evident that these wore broken by the one pereerj. '«I suppose you all know that members of the. Brigade caught a man in the act of giving a false alarm," said the chairman (Mr J. B, Cameron). Ho asked if any member wished to comment on the opportunity that had been lost. Mr A. Williams: I don't see any need to comment on the Magistrate's decision, A fine of £2O is a big thing for a young man. Tho chairman: It was paid for him, Mr H, B. Eusbridgo smid he understood that a reward of £5 was paid by the Beard for the detection of malicious false alarms. In this connexion he thought that the Bpard would bo justified in paying the reward to tbo mtu-v/lio watched the boxes, IW moved ; in this direction.

The chairman pointed out that other men had been out on previous nights. Mr Kusbridge; We want to do the right thing. The chairman said he had been told that in Melbourne some years ago the giving of malieious Mao alarms in a certain district had been stopped by a threat to cut off that district from the fire alarm circuit. The false alarms had stopped immediately this .docision had been announced. Jir JUisbridge said that practically tho same thinj,' had boon done at New Brighton, The chairman; Would it be advisable to try the same thing in our cause? Mr Williams; I should say "no,'.' for the reason that in Christchureh the districts are mixed as regards the type of residents. Things are different in Mel' bourne. The chairman j It would make the residonts loolt out for these people. Mr Williams: It would not apply in Christchurch.' There,would be an outcry.

Tho secretary (Mr C. 'J, Treleaven) said he understood that a gang was operating in ChristchurchThe chairman said that during the ■Magistrate's Court proceedings the Superintendent had stated that there had been over'4oo false alarms in the last ten yeara, and only three offenders had been canght. At; this stage the Board wont into committee, and when it resumed in open meeting tho chairman roportod that i.t: had,been decided to. make a donation of the reward to -the Brigade recreation fund.