FIRE DANGER STRESSED

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 285, 29 August 1935, Page 8

FIRE DANGER STRESSED

Smoking While Dancing

Condemned

“SCANDALOUS” PRACTICE

Dominion Special Service.

Auckland, August 2S.

“l think it is scandalous if people cannot dance without smoking,” said Mr. C. M. McCullough at a meeting of the Auckland Metropolitan Fire Board when there was a short discussion upon the danger that attended indiscriminate smoking in places of public entertainment. The question arose following the reading of a report by Superintendent Wilson advising the board that a theatre proprietor had been prosecuted and lined for overcrowding. Mr. B. Martin said that as a member of the Auckland City Council be would like a report made to the board by the superintendent upon the whole question of theatre regulations. He desired to know if the board thought that the present position was satisfactory. At this stage Mr. McCullough said he considered some steps should be taken to prevent people smoking while they were dancing. He had seen this at the Town Hall, and its danger was apparent. “It only needs a spark to set alight some of those flimsy dresses and somebody will get burnt,” he said. “Then there will be a panic.” Mr. McCullough said he had also observed people in the front row of the lower gallery of the Town Hall dropping cigarette ash on to decorations below. That was also a dangerous practice. The chairman, Mr. J. J. Kingston, said the danger of smoking at dances was apparent, but it was extremely difficulty to control.

Several other members and the superintendent agreed that the practice was a dangerous one. The chairman: No one should be allowed to dance with a cigarette in his hand. It is ridiculous. The superintendent was asked to deal with this aspect in a report he would make upon the existing fire regulations relating to places of public entertainment.