THE WELLINGTON FIRE.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 11096, 13 December 1898, Page 3

THE WELLINGTON FIRE.

CAPTAIN KEMSLET AND THE CITY COUNCIL. [BY TELECiKAni.] Wellington, Monday. This morning the " New Zealand Times " published an interview with Captain Kemsley, chief of the fire brigade, regarding the Eoyal Oak Hotel fire, in which he made a strong attack upon the City Council for neglecting to supply the brigade with proper appliances and men to work them. The matter was brought up at a meeting of the Public Works Committee of the City Council tonight ■when the Mayor made a statement showing the extent to which the brigade had been assisted by the Council, and pointed out that the amount expended on the maintenance of the brigade amounted to 5J per cent of the total general revenue of the Corporation. He said he felt so strongly concerning Captain Kemsley'a attitude that ho did not care to commit himself to making a reply at this meeting. Several councillors warmly doprecated Captain Kemsluy's remarks, and thought it was scandalous that any survant of theirs should criticiso his employers in sueli a inannor. No other body of men in any capacity would stand such a thing. The committee took no action in the matter, but it was understood from the Mayor's statement that the Council would set up an enlarged fin brigade committee with the power tc call export evidence to make an oxtensivt investigation into the circumstances sur rounding the destruction of St. Mnry'i Koman Catholic Cathedral and tho Eoya Oak Hotel. In tho interviow in quoslion Captaii Komsloy said, as an export, tbo liro ap pliances woro inadequate in ovcry lioto and in numbers of public buildings ii Wellington, including the Wellingtoj College, which was beyond reach of th brigade's operations, and where the boy could be frizzled alive any night withou a chance of escape save by leaping i'ror. the windows. Had he not pointed on these thiugs to the Council every year f o the last eight years ? — and yot it was onl whou a big firo like this occurred that th public realised that thoro woro giiovou defects — and blamed him ; hut th public Vould forget all about i again in two or three days, unt

the same thing occurred again. Evei since he had taken office lie had urgec fire prevention reforms on the Council but his recommendations had been con sistently shelved. To show the interesi the Counoil took in the brigade, the Fin Committee had not met since the deatl of the late Councillor Harris (over a yeai ago). All sorts of incidents had ocourrec during recent years which demaudec inquiry, but no inquiry wa3 held. H( had asked for an enlarged permaneni staff, a steamer for the hills, more horses more accommodation, more hose, more electrical communication, more life-saving appliances. He had become so insistent on the necessity of moro horses that he had offered to pay for their keep if the Council would only purchase them; but he could get no reply.