HASTINGS FIRE BOARD.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XIII, Issue 77, 15 March 1923, Page 5

HASTINGS FIRE BOARD.

QUARTERLY MEETING

Mr. W. Hart presided at the quarterly meeting of the Board last night, there being present Messrs S. T. Tong, Thorne-George, Norrie, Hay and Fowler.

The superintendent (Mr. W. Keith) reported that ther© had been three calls in the quarter—a motor at Powdrell Bros.’ motor garage. Market street; Carlton Club ■ Hotel, escape caught fir©; Mr. Hodgson’s dwelling. Avenue road. On February 12 Inspector Hugo inspected the Brigade and put them through-wet find dry practice. Although-it was difficult to find the pings owing to their being covered over with fine shingle, the practice was carried out satisfactorily The steam fire engine was taken over by the Tomoana b reezing Works Company, on February 20. Since last meeting Mr. Stubbs Ijad gone into the question of ringing th© bell with the large tongue belonging to it, and he said he could make a satisfactory job, costing about £l5. It would improve jthe ringing. He drew attention to various requirements. The plant was in good working order. Tlie report was adopted, th© superintendent to obtain, prices for requirements and inform the local committee. INSPECTOR’S REPORT.

Inspector Hugo reported that the inspection drills proved very unsatisfactory, not through any fault of the personnel of the Brigade, which was an active and willing body of men, but due to the faulty condition of the street hydrants and their indicators. In some cases the indicators were as much as six feet out of line, and in other cases they wer© missing altogether, or when present were of such a trumpery type that even when the hydrant was found it was difficult to locate the indicator at night. In regard to the hydrants, after they were found they Were so bound down that it was a matter of minutes to open them. Conditions in the above respect were such that they might easily be the cause of very serious fire loss, and the matter should be attended to at once. Further, when instructed to take a delivery on the roof of a twostoreyed building, a ladder had to be sent for, which, when it arrived, took the united efforts of five men to upend. Altogether, the equipment of the Brigade was falling very much behind in efficiency, and the Board would be well advised to procure a more power? ful motor, a 35-foot trussed extension ladder, and to instal a system of street fire alarms. The station and equipment were in good order. It was decided to send a copy of the inspector’s report to the Borough Council, with a recommendation that an inspection of all plugs and indicators be made by a representative of the Council with the superintendent. The superintendent said the fault was that the Vugs were too low. In other centres they stood well abovd the level of the road. It was further decided to obtain prices for ladders and to defer till next meeting consideration of the matter of installing a system of street fire alarms. Mr. Hugo is to be asked to submit a list of requirements to make the Brigade thoroughly efficient. An application from H. V. Hoadley for the services of the Brigade outside the Borough was granted, the local committee to draw up a scale of charges and to invite applications from all those outside the borough where a Water supply is available.

It was to obtain prices for a more powerful motor, to be subInitted to the new Board, which comes into office next June.

It was pointed out by the superintendent that the Board’s by-laws were obsolete and the matter of drafting new by-laws was referred to Messrs Norrie. Hay and Thorne-George. Mr. Fowler said the Board had decided that persons desiring to make rubbish fires should make personal application. He had ascertained that while people living at some distance from the station were walking in to obtain permits others living a short distance away were lighting fires without first obtaining permission. It was resolved that the attention of th© Borough Council be called to the fact that th© by-law against lighting fires was being broken with impunity.