BETTER FIRE CONTROL.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 19 March 1927, Page 7

BETTER FIRE CONTROL.

DAYLIGHT ALARM SYSTEM. BOARD TO CONFER WITH V ENGINEER. As the result of inquiries conducted by the chairman of the Levin Fir* Board, Mr P.'G. Cray, there seems to be a fair prospect of the town seen? in" a service which Avill make Mm street call 'boxes immediately operative at any time, and not only, as now. (tilling the night when there are firemen ifthe station to receive the call and grve the alarm on the rlrcbell. The suggested adjunct to tho call-box system, as outlined by Mr Cray, will actual the bell (or a siren if the Board decides lo install one) as soon as'tac button is pressed. , , ~' , The chairman stated that he had had a long interview with the Post and Telegraph Engineer in Wellington, and suggested connecting the street alarms with a motor to ring the bell or spun.l a Pircn at the setation. The engineer stated that there was a relay system for such a purpose in use at Rangiora, and it cost £lO. The engineer at lnlmerston North would come to Levin Miid interview the local members of the Board, Under such a system, when tin; button of a street fire alarm was pressed it would ring the bell. The cost ot maintenance would be very light. The chairman then stated that the Board had met with unfair criticism from the Press in this matter. -U iMiid i« the paper," he went on, "thai the present system was effective, but useless. We want to make ihat system, which Is effective, useful for the 124 hours.'"'

Mr Parker: Wo could put a man on in the clay time at £3OO a year and make if 3, f*ircc« the Chairman: I don't take much notice of the Press. It is supposed to represent the people, but I don't think the Press of Levin did so on this occasion—expecting us to put on a man or a boy when the system would be no more effective. They are right in a wa y — we ha'/e no protection here during working hours;. Mr Parker asked how the question stood in regard to the telephone exchange. (This refers to a proposal that fire calls at night by telephone should be plugged through to the alarm.) The chairman, in reply, stated that the engineer told him that the whole subject would come up later. He (the chairman) said that the Board wanted effectiveness if it was not antagonistic to the Department's work. The engineer from Palmerston would be in Levin in a fortnight. The speaker had passed on to the engineer in Wellington Mr Parker's opinion, expressed to the Board, that under this proposal every telephone would be a potential fire alarm. , . The chairman added that he was pleased with the result of the interview. In reference to the relay system there was no necessity for a motor; and a system such as they had in Eangioia would be quite practicable m Levin. He would look further into the question of a siren for the station,. It was quite practicable with the relay c-vstem to ring the bell, but the siren was more easily worked. A recommendation -on the question of the alarm system will be submitted to the next meeting of .the Boaid.

We are afraid that the chairman of the Fire Board, in his. criticism of the "Chronicle," is forgetful both of the facts and his usual studied fairness. It is just a year to-day since the Chronicle first called attention to the failure of the alarm system. Speaking at a Fire Board meeting a few days later, Mr Cray said "that the article quoted was in the nature of a finger-post for the Board. There was no doubt that there was no arrangement for the bell to be rung during business hours. ... He 'thought the Press had done the right thing in drawing the Board's attention to the question,." The chairman also suggested then that the bell be rung from the call boxes. The Board, however, thought it would be sufficient to put the small electric bell outside the station in order. That Avas done, but on the occasion of the fire at Mr Young's factory at Weraroa on January 6th, there was another serious failure of the alarm system, and before the Brigade could bo summoned it became necessary to telephone to the. Superintendent and give the alarm. This led the "Chronicle" to matte th« suggestion 4 "as being worthy of investigation .hat the firebell on the tower rung by a small electric motor, which could easily be operated ty the street alarm boxes. If this is practicable it presents the simplest, most economical and quickest method of remedying an undoubted defect in an otherwise excellent fire prevention seivice." It appears that the chairman who '' does not take rnuih notice of the Pres?," is now arranging something along these lines. If he is successful, local business people and property-owners will be relieved of what is at present a source of anxiety to many cf them. I: would be a pleasure to be able to report progress before another year has elapsed.—Ed. ' 4 Chronicle.''