THE LATE FIRE.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 6782, 14 February 1884, Page 3

THE LATE FIRE.

Sir, — In reference to Sunday morning's fire and the strenuous efforts which both of our local papers have made to fix blame somewJiere, I would crave space for a few remarks. Fault has been found with the tolling of the bell. The morning paper says " the fire-bell should have been tolled longer," and the other has it " half a dozen tolls of the bell were given." In point of fact the bell was well rung for between 6 and 7 minutes, and was distinctly heard all over the hills in the northern portion of the town, but as usual, when a land breeze is blowing (as was the case in this instance), the sound of the bell was all but inaudable in the southern and western portions. The fault here lies, I take, it in the location of the bell. The remedy ig obvious. Again, the evening paper has it that " the hosereel " (always the first appliance to reach the scene of a fire) " was attached to a fire-plug " (in passing I may remark that on ordinary occasions the hose without tho reelis found sufficient) " close at hand, but the loioness of the pressure rendered its efforts ludicrous." Whose fault was this ? The reel was on the spot soven minutes after the first toll of the bell, and I observe that no credit is given the firemen for this promptitude, but on the contrary, they are censured by implication because forsooth they could not produce high pressure water ! Both journals agree to within five roinute3 (which is as near an agreement as they are ever likely to get) as to the time in which the steam fire-engine got to work, viz., from 25 to 30 minutes after the alarm was given. To reporters probably this may seem a long time, but when it is considered that the steam fireengine is not a feather weight, that no horses being available it had to be drawn considerably over half a mile by four men (the general public being in too great a hurry to get to the scene of tho fire to lend a hand on the drag ropes, although appeared to), and that after arrival at Swan's baths upwards of 1200 feet of hose had to be laid off and coupler! up before water from the engine could be thrown on the fire, it may fairly be conceded that no very great amount of time was wasted. As the Heuald truly saya, " The distance of the baths from the fire caused a great length of hose to bo used, and much of it being old the leakage materially reduced the pressure at the nozzle, and twice the hose burst entirely, necessitating the stoppage of the engine while new lengths were coupled." Here was another cause of delay. Whose fault is it that the hose grows old and becomes untrustworthy 1 Has it never been represented to the Council that such an occurrence as the above might be expected iv the event of a long lead of hose being called into requisition, as in the present instance ? Of course, the whole 1200 feet of hose, when used in one piece, possessed for working purposes but the strength of its weakest and most worn length. Admitted that tjie Borough Council recently granted special assistance to the brigade for the purpose of purchasing a few lengths of new hose, it must be borne in mind that the quantity obtained represents but one-fifth of the total supply, the balance being more or leas aged, and it may be further re- ; marked that on no previous occasion has t so large a quantity of the brigade's hose I been called into requisition. I would suggest; that in order to avoid ■ the risk of such contretemps in future, 1 the Fire Inspector should have all the old hose tested with the new high pressure water, and let any that will not stand a fair Btrain be condemned and replaced by t new -with as little delay aB possible. — I s am, &c. , s William Bogle.