LOCAL AND GENERAL

Hawera Star, Volume LI, 23 May 1932, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

According to ;v return furnished to the Fire Board by the acting-superin-tendent of the Wellington Fire Brigade the number of false alarms _of fire reached a maximum in the year 193031, when no fewer than 352 were received, an average of over one per day. In 1917-18 the number was only 39. the big jump came in 1926-27, when the number of false alarms was 163, as compared with 77 for the preceding year. The number for 1931-32 was 311. A regulation to prevent all motorvehicles passing a stationary schoolbus setting down or picking up children similar to the city by-law dealing with stationary tramears, is to be sought by the Auckland branch of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union. A remit to this effect was passed at the annual conference of the union.

Owing to the extensive damage having recently been caused to the buildings and appartments at the Hawera Showgrounds through acts of vandalism the Egmont A. and P. Association has requested the co-opera-tion of the 'police m detecting offenders. Much of the damage has apparently been caused by juveniles, but in other instances certain acts are obviously those of adults. At an early hour on Saturday evening fire completely destroyed the Huiforcl Boad school. When discovered the fire had a strong hold at the rear of the building and the flames were fanned by a strong wind. The school was a -sole teacher school and had a roll of 23 pupils. They will be accommodated for the opening of the term to-day in the Hurford Road<hall. A visit was paid to the school by members and officers of the Taranaki Education Board yesterday morning, and it is understood it is tne board’s mtention to rebuild the school as soon as possible, the cost of conveying the children to the neamst school being considered too great.

A summary of the causes of fire in Wellington during 1931-32 was containod”in a report from the actingsuperintendent of the Fire Brigade, to the Fire Board on Friday. The summary shows that of a total of 500 fires, 208' were caused by lighted matches thrown down. No other cause even approximated that number. The next prolific cause of fire on the list wat foul chimneys, which accounted for 84 fires. Then came such causes as burning off, 36; contact with naked lights and sparks from locomotives, 12 eadh; spirit vapour in contact with electric spark, sparks from fires, furnaces, etc. 11; irons left switched on, 9; short circuits to electric wires, 8; defective hearths, 8; defective chimneys, 7. The number of fires the origin of which is set down ais “unknown” was 26.