STRIKING DISPLAY

Dominion, Volume 35, Issue 9, 6 October 1941, Page 8

STRIKING DISPLAY

City’s Water Resources For Fire-fighting . . .. Unique in the history of New Zealand was the display of Wellington city’s fire-fighting forces and the sources ot water at their command along the waterfront on Saturday afternoon. The display was only made possible by two developments in fire-fighting in Wellington this year. One was the creation of the fire-fighting section or the E.P.S. organization, which gave its first public water-throwing display actin" in conjunction with the Wellington Fire Brigade, and the other was the acquisition of 11 rising mains (tapping the waters of the harbour) and trader pumps draw the water from the 'a, and shoot it 100 feet into the air. The mayor (Mr. Hislop), who with several members of the city council, viewed the display from the roof ol John Chambers and Co.’s warehouse a the junction of Cable Street and Jervois Quay, said he thought it a no derful show beautiful to witness and a fine demonstration of the city’s water resources along the harbour tron • • • Girling-Butcher, Chief Government inspector of Fire Brigades, also considered the turnout a first-c.asssho, superior to anything yet seen m Nc« Zealand. # . xit( . hv The demonstration was lid a ided . the sounding of a loud-voiced siren from the roof of Electricity ous , Lower Cuba Street, at Loo p.m. nt or six minutes later, with the men tile hTe fighting forces all in position, the signal was given to commence operaThe first response was from the tu» Toia and the rising mains in her vicinitv in Jervois Quay. Seven jets of water reaching from <0 to 100 feet in the air were soon weaving patterns of sea sprav in the sunshine. These were followed by a general display of wads, some of them held in position by men in oilskins standing firmly in a drenching fall of water. Six leads were used in Jervois Quay between Wakefield Street and Cable Street, gaining their supplies from the harbour and the emergency water supply (storm water drains), with the aid of trailer pumps. Other trailer pumps, each supplying two leads, were disposed round the library block, which was isolated toi the time being by a lovely curtain o water, with the afternoon sunshine forming rainbows of dazzling beauty 1 midair. , In all. some 80 leads were used. 1 the display, it was computed thatfiom 15,000 to 16,000 gallons of water teas shot into the air every minute of ShOW. . . The demonstration was a. tiisuuc ■ credit to the superintendent ot the bi."ado Mr. C. A. Woolley, and the city engineer, Mr. K. Luke, who <> r S“' the display, and to the men ho th of the brigade and the E.I.S. hre-fi, ing unit who assisted.