FALSE FIRE ALARMS

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 84, 6 October 1933, Page 8

FALSE FIRE ALARMS

THIRTY-TWO CHARGES

YOUTHS' ADMIT OFFENCES

SERIOUS VIEW TAKEN

Police investigations iiito an unusually: large number of false-fire alarms received by Wellington fire stations during the past few mouths resulted in. the appearance of three'youths beforo Mr. E. Page, S.M., at the Magistrate'! Court today. William, Charles Haihvood pleaded guilty to a total of thirty charges of giving false lire alarms. George Thomas Pawsou and Harvey Ashwortb. each pleaded guilty "to five similar charges. Ashworth and Pawson committed the offences with which s they; were charged in company with Hailwood, who was jointly charged with, them. Ashw'orth pleaded 'guilty to two 'further charges. ■ , During the past five months,; said Detective-Sergeant Revell, the local fire brigades had received in all 71 false fire alarms. Detectives Long and Burke had been engaged on the inquiry for some months, and the chargqs had been brought as a result of their investigations. ■ - ■ The amount of time occupied by tha brigades in attending the false alarms, said Mr. Eevell, was 37.hours', 309 men attending the calls. In addition to tha men who actually attended the calls, every other fireman at the station which received the alarm was brought on duty; 139 firo engines were called out as a' result of the false alarms, and each turn-out cost an 'average sum of £5. In'the case of a fire in the city, area two engines always attended' aa alarm, and all the firemen stood by in ' case they were required. On one o.ccasiorr when a false 'alarm was given from tho centre of Lainbton Quay.,no less than four engines' were turned out, and other engines were brought in from, the suburban stations to replace" them, BBIGADES MUST ATTEND. "Another fcaturo about it is; this," continued the detective-sergeant. "If the, firemen do not turn out to these alarms they are held to ridicule. They, must turn out each time the alarm,' goes. "Hailwood is 17 years of age, and he has treated the whole of this matter more or less .as a joke. He was beford the Court recently, and on that Occasion I asked that he should be given.' a chance. He was given a chance, and to show his appreciation he was setling off . false alarms within 'a few; hours." Ashworth had previously been before the Court for stealing a'bicyclej aiid Pawson for stealing cigarettes. I>l would ask that in' this case thai Court should take a serious view of the matter and impose such penalties that will act as a deterrent to others frbin giving these false alarms" said Mr. Eevell. Mr. O. C. Mazengarb, who appeared for Ashworth, said that Tie had noth- , ing to say by way-of minimising the seriousness of the offences. The detect tive-sergeant had not in any way over^ stated the seriousness of tho matter,; He thought he was able tor say, however, that Ashworth did appreciate tho seriousness of the offences. Counsel felt that the police, would agree with him that since Ashworth was before the Juvenile Court he had given ne» trouble at all. Unfortunately for him* in January of this year he met with ;»' serious accident. His head was injured through^ falling off a bicycle, ■and! We was in hospital for five weeks before he recovered consciousness,; Iti was possible that that injury had something to do with the commission, of tlitj offences. ... t ' Counsel said he was instructed that the suggestion to interfere with tha fire alarms came from Hailwood. ITherei seemed to be no doubt that he was .tha ringleader and had been respbnsibla, for bringing Ashworth. into th,e' pre^ sent trouble. Counsel asked that Ashworth should be placed under strict! supervision for such a period "as ; thai Court might think desirable. MAGISTRATE' S COMMENTS. Mr. Page said it was quite clear that! the offences could not be regarded -.as other than serious. The fire department had been involved in considerable expenditure, and each time the fire em gines were called out there must bo danger to the firemen and to the public* generally. There was also the risk; that at the time the engines were outi attending the false alarms a genuine call might bo received and the brigade would not be in a position to attend tol it as quickly as it; should. -Hailwood seemed to be tho ringleader, and jia would be committed to a Borstal institution for a period not exceeding.thred The Probation Officer (Mr. T. P. Mills) said that Ashworth was regarded as being altogether: irresponsible. Pawson, who was only 16.-yea™ of age, was looked upon as the least blameworthy of the three. Ashworth and Pawson were each admitted to probation for a period of three years ou the first of the charges against ~them. The Magistrate made, a special condition that tho defendants should observe the hours sUpulated by tho Probation Officer, and keep what company he nominated. On-eacix of the other charges the defendants were convicted and ordered to come up for sentence within three years it called upon. The Magistrate said that • defendants would have to understand that if there was the.least : ■ departure from the, conditions laid to™*T™> Probation Officer they would be brought up. for sentence on the remaining ClThf" defendant Hailwood ? W pleaded guilty to a charge of stealing "^"Vis'cL Detective-Sergeant Eevell said that. when the defendant was going home on August 21 .he noticed a. bottle of milk outside thai door of a house. He drank the milk and then' smashed the bottle. The sentence in this caso was included with that covering the other charges against tho flpfnnflant. ,