JOTTINGS FROM WANGANUI.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1194, 1 August 1911, Page 6

JOTTINGS FROM WANGANUI.

(By Tdecraph.—Special Correspondent.) Wanganui, July 31. An order has been given to an Auckland mason for a monument which will probably be placed in ono of the' public parks hero to tho memory of tho late Major Kemp, the famous Native chief. Tho cost will be =£1000, the Government giving a subsidy of .£3OO and Major Kemp's family and friends finding the balance. At tho annual meeting and banquet of the Wanganui Volunteer Tiro Brigade the annual report showed that the value of properties where fires occurred during the yes* was ,£37,150, the amount of ■ insurances on the samo .£25,230, and Iho loss to the insuranco companies Two new fire stations havo been established in Aramoho district during tho year, and two more will bo established this year, ono on St. John's Hill, and ono at Durietown. Superintendent Spriggens announced thet the 1913 conference and demonstration of the United Fire Brigades' Association will bo held in Wanganui. Inspector Hugo (Inspector of Fire Hoards), who was a guest at the banquet, in replying to tho toast of the visitors referred to a statement recently publicly made in Paliuerston North to the elfect that the I'ire Board system had not accomplished what had been hoped in decreasing fire losses. This statement, lie said, was both inaccurate and unfair. The gentleman making the statement had also said that during the four years under the Fire Boards (1907-10* tho amount paid in fire losses was .£1,770,000, against .£1,390,000 for the preceding four years, an increase of nearly JCiOO.COO, where they had hoped for a reduction. The Fire Boards, said Mr. Hugo, had only been introduced three and a half year?, and not four years as stated. In circumstances such as that some time must elapse before the result could be seen. It was a most unfair comparison to draw. Tho inspector spoko in complimentary terms of the Wnngaivui Brigade.