QUALITY OF HOSE COUPLINGS

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27669, 27 May 1955, Page 16

QUALITY OF HOSE COUPLINGS

REPLY TO FIRE OFFICER’S CRITICISM (New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, May 26. ‘‘The criticism of New Zealand hose couplings, voiced by Mr T. Crater, Deputy-Chief Fire Service Officer, is most uncalled for as it tends to undermine firemen’s confidence in their equipment. It misleads the public, and it implies that little has been done in the standardisation of fire couplings in New Zealand.” This comment was made yesterday by Mr R. A. Nicolas, of Auckland, president of the New Zealand Manufacturing Engineers’ and Metal Trades Federation, in reply to views expressed by Mr Crater at the recent annual conference of the New Zealand Urban Fire Authorities’ Association.

The statements made by Mr Crafer would lead one to believe that firemen using New Zealand hose couplings in fighting a fire were taking a very serious risk, said Mr Nicolas. This was absurd, as New Zealand firemen for many years had been using New Zealand-made couplings with complete confidence and with safe arid efficient operation.

“It appears that Mr Crafer is not aware of the consideration that has been given by the Standards Council in recent years to the standardisation of New Zealand couplings,” Mr Nicolas said.

“Manufacturers of couplings are very disturbed to find Mr Crafer, an officer employed by the Fire Services Council, discussing a change of coupling at this stage, when they had received a letter from the Minister of Internal Affairs (Mr S. W. Smith) to the effect that the Fire Services Council at a recent meeting had decided to recommend to the Standards Institute that it should prepare standard specifications for the 2?in coupling rather than adopt the revised British standards.”