Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE SATURDAY, OCTOBER 23, 1926. PUBLIC PROTECTION

Greymouth Evening Star, 23 October 1926, Page 4

Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE SATURDAY, OCTOBER 23, 1926. PUBLIC PROTECTION

We have on several previous occasions directed attention to the risk run at local gatherings where the popularity of the particular programme or event attracts a crowd far beyond the building’s normal holding capacity. The usual consequence is a more or less severe rough and tumble to "force admission. The gangways become filled with people, although in case of fire, or panic, such congestion would mean disaster, and, generally, the arrangements are in a most unsatisfactory condition. The

slightest thought would give ■warning of the terrible risk run by the 1 community. The fact that so far, the possibility has not been converted into actuality, is luck that cannot always be guaranteed. Periodically, our cablegrams tell of great loss of life and property damage through. outbreaks of fire, or through sudden panic, in a crowded building. After the event, wisdom is general that such a possibility should not have been permitted, but that does not bring back the dead, nor comfort the bereaved. Such disasters should be taken as a warning by all other and luckier communities, our own not excepted. The great success of the State School jubilee gatherings was responsible for the school building and the Opera House, on Wednesday and Thursday, respectively, being scenes of real danger, especially to the juveniles. There appeared to be little organisation at either place to keep the safetyfirst factor prominent, and a tragic price may have had to be paid for such carelessness. Gratitude to Providence that the risk was run successfully, should not mean that the danger can always be ignored. The borough that appoints a traffic, inspector to regulate motoring through its streets should ,r’ea]ise its greater duty, by having adequate and efficient inspection of all places used for large public assein-' blies. Doubtless, there are .by-laws-arid regulations already authorised that cover the grgund necessary,, but are such by-laws consistently enforced? If not, why not? There is no need to work up a scare,.nor to become unduly nervous. In all daily doings, some risk or another has to be taken, and similarly, no building in the world could be made an absolute haven of safety. All that the authorities require to do is to have public safety made a ruling factor, and prevent any infringement of rules- devised for the common good. It is unnecessary to particularise more than we have done, but the Mayor and Councillors should ask themselves what would be their feelings, if any disaster occurred locally, through lack of insistence of the observance of safety-first rules. True, in most eases, it is a case of protecting the public against themselves, and unpopularity may be the result. Realisation of the first duty, however, of all in authority would help them to ignore such temporary illfeeling, and their action would ultimately increase the esteem in which they are held by the public. ;