FIRES IN AUCKLAND.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 19815, 31 December 1929, Page 8

FIRES IN AUCKLAND.

SUPERINTENDENT'S ANNUAL

REVIEW.

[THE PRESS Special Service]

AUCKLAND, December 30

In the fire annals of Auckland the year 1929 deserves to be remembered with satisfaction, for the year was devoid of any outbreak of magnitude. Very largely this is due to modernisation of the city : s fire alarm system and the high state of efficiency maintained in the fire fighting force, factors that enabled many dangerously incipient fires during the year to be nipped in the bud. Reductions in the number ot calls and false alarms are satisfactory features of the return furnished by the Auckland Fire Brigade Superintendent (Mr W. L. Wilson) for the twelve months just ended. The figures are: F ires. 1929. 1928. Actual fires ■•• 204 272 False alarms ... 84 107 Ohimncv fires ... 34 i£ Rubbish or grass ... 103 lib Outside the district ■*- Total calls ... 487 609 The value of property destroyed by fire was about £60,000, which is not far in excess of the loss incurred as the result of a single big fire in 1928. There was onlv one fatal fire, Miss Sadie Lvnch losing her life at the Hotel C»rgen fire. The false alarm nuisance last year was reduced to something like normal proportions the abnormally high figures in 1928 being due to the operations of a gang or larrikins, who at one period called the Citv Brigade out on fruitless quests every night for a week. It took a serious threat by the Auckland Magistrates to mete out drastic punishment to anyone caught red-handed to put a stop' to the nuisance.