AERIAL FIRE PATROLS SOUGHT COMBATING RISK

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 21945, 13 February 1946, Page 4

AERIAL FIRE PATROLS SOUGHT

COMBATING RISK

PREVENTING SPREAD IMMEDIATE ACTION PLANES FOR DISTRICT Continuous patrolling liy at least two aircraft of the Gisborne-East Coast district as a means of ensuring that outbreaks of fire here can be spotted immediately so that efforts can be made to deal with them at once is advocated by the Gisborne Borough Council on the suggestion of Mr. R. Morse. Because of the urgency of the matter, when the council reached this decision last night it agreed that the town clerk, Mr. W. M. Jenkins, should communicate immediately by telephone with the proper authorities to have these planes operating here. “I think it is a national matter really,” said Mr. Morse in raising the subject. "We have the terrible experiences of other parts of the istand to guide us, and I think We should take steps to see that the same does not happen here. So I move that we ask the correct authorities to place at our disposal two planes for spotting purposes as a means of allowing the combating and controlling of forest and other fires before they have a chance to spread.” There was no lack of planes nor men to fly’ them, so far as he knew, Mr. Morse went on. Saving Valuable Lands “If we can by this means prevent the loss of thousands of acres of valuable country, wc should certainly do so. ‘‘The saving of an hour through the medium of a patrol may mean the saving of immense sums of money or their eciuivalent,” he went on, and suggested that the local pilots who were seeking the formation of an aero club might be happy to do the patrols u the machines were made available to them. The Mayor. Mr. N. H. Bull: It is certainly a good idea, and I think it is worth this council following up. “It is rather a big order, and I don t think we will get anywhere." considered Mr. IT H. Do Costa, who thought the suggestion would be unworkable in practice. Mr. Morse: It is done in other countries, so why not here? The plane would be in constant communication with the ground station, which would relay messages to the proper quarters, who would take the necessary action. The Coining Thing Dr. A. L. Singer agreed that it was worthy of effort, and that fire-warning

patrols by aircraft was the coming thing. Mr. G. J. Jeune: You will need the fire-fighting organisation to make the suggestion of any use. ‘‘A lot of the organisation is already there,” Mr. Morse replied, adding: ‘I think it has been proved locally the areas that have been saved by prompt action. “It is critical at the present time in our area, that something should be done to lessen the fire menace and this seems to be one of the ways.” Mr. Bull: We will have to attack it immediately, if we are to do any good. This matter could also be raised at the Fire Boards’ conference to be hela in Gisborne in March, so that some policy for the future could be suggested, the meeting considered. . “The settlers, no doubt, are seriously concerned and are watching the position very closely,” Mr. I. J. Quigley said in expressing doubt at the benefits of the proposal.