“The Press” In 1866

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31210, 7 November 1966, Page 16

“The Press” In 1866

November 7 The fire on Monday night shows clearly that it is high time some steps were taken to protect the town from a danger which under present circumstances is perpetually imminent Christchurch has been on the whole most fortunately free from fires of any great extent but such immunity is but very • precarious. We have had at least two warnings of the wide-spread disaster, the terrible loss of property and even of life, that may some day ensure unless timely measures are taken to avert it We believe that , a Bill is to be intro-

duced into the Provincial Council during the present session, authorising the Fire Brigade under special orders from certain officials to pull down any houses that in a case of fire it may be found necessary to remove to check the spread of the flames. Such an enactment is obviously required. Christchurch has once before been saved by such means, but saved as the inhabitants were reminded at a public meeting, contrary to law. .. It is of course nothing but just that any owner of property so destroyed should be legally entitled to recover from the insurance companies as though it had been, destroyed by the fire.