Cut-off switches to be required on alarms?

Press, 19 August 1983, Page 5

Cut-off switches to be required on alarms?

Parliamentary reporter Regulations requiring an automatic cut-off switch for any burglar alarm are being considered by the Minister of Health, Mr Malcolm. He said this move had been prompted by a recent case m Christchurch where an alarm had sounded for more than 20 hours. In spite of the new Noise Control Act, it had not been possible to silence this alarm.

Mr Malcolm agreed that burglar alarms which rang

for hours could be very frustrating. The fact that it might be possible, as in the Christchurch case, to prosecute the occupier under Section 5 of the act was small consolation to local residents who had been disturbed, he said.

Section 17 of the act empowered the Minister to make regulations prescribing standards over alarms and other noisy devices to ensure they did not emit noise “in other circumstances or at a level or for a period beyond that neces-

sary to achieve the purpose for which such devices are used.” He said he was of a mind to sponsor regulations requiring any device designed to make a loud noise, such as a burglar alarm, to have an automatic cut-off switch that silenced the alarm after 20 minutes. Mr Malcolm called for public submissions on the suggestion, including proposals from suppliers. Interested parties should write to him direct at Parliament Buildings, he said.