FIRE-FIGHTING AFFAIRS.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 22 June 1929, Page 7

FIRE-FIGHTING AFFAIRS.

MEETING OF THE LEVIN BOARD. ONE CALL IN BOROUGH DURING QUARTER. The quarterly mooting of the Levin Fire Board mas held yesterday afternoon, in the board-room at the Fire Station- there being present: Messrs x'-, E. Ffirk( r (chairman), G. J. Grey, J. C. Milnes, W. Jenson, F. 0. Gierke and F. P. Walkley (secretary). ‘Mr A. G. Barnett, secretary of the Wellington Harbour Board, wrote acknowledging receipt of advice that Mr F. E. Parker had been elected chairman of the Fire Board, which position carried with it the office of sinking fund commissioner in respect to the loan of £IBO2 Os Id. The estimates for the year ending March 30th, 1030, passed at the last meeting, wore received back from the Department of Internal Affairs with the Minister’s approval of them/ CONFERENCE MATTERS.

Advice was received from Air H. Snowdon Fairchild, lion, secretary of the Fire Boards’ Conference, that the executive committee, as set up at the conference of August, .1927, recently directed that the new Minister of Internal Affairs be approached to inquire what progress had beer, intuit in putting iko effect the recommendations from that conference. The Minister, in reply, stated that the remits would be duly considered when an amendment of the Act. was being dealt- with. FORMER ALARM -SYSTEM FOR DISPOSAL. The secretary reported having written to the manager of the Duplex Fire Alarm Co., Ltd., Dunedin, intimating that, as the Board had nobody on duty in the station between 7 a.in. and 7 p.m., an electric siren had' been installed, operated from the Cost Office. The Duplex system did not meet the local requirements for the day service, but apart, from this the .Board was satisfied with it and regretted the necessity for the new arrangement. The ala/’.. '-ores had been dismantled from the street poles, and the jars cleaned and packed, in good condition. The Board wished tc know if the Company could see its way to make an offer dpr the outfit o>' put this Board in communication with any Board likely to go in for the Duplex. The Chairman reported having instructed the secretary to write to the above effect.

The Duplex Company, in reply, noted the Board’s satisfaction with the system, apart from Die point mentioned. The Company offered to advis ■ this Board of any Dire Board or Borough Coune.il which would had the system suitable, and promised ‘its co-operation in the matter of re-installing the system should it be desired. The Chairman stabl'd that (he system had cost £3130, apart fiom installation, ami the Board would like lo recover some of that cost by disposing of the svstern.

On the motion of Mr Clerke, seconded by Mr M lines. the secretary was instructed to write to Inspector Hugo, giving particulars of the .Duplex plant, and asking for his opinion as to its value and the possibilities of iindmg a •purchaser for it. THE NEW ALA KM.

Letters were received from Mi - R. IT. White, mechanical engineer, Wellington, an matters of detail connected with tlio electric siren, for which ho was tie coni meter.

Mr 1). T. Allan, Telegraph Engineer, ‘Palmerston Aoith. wrote advising the Board of the Department’s having agreed to the installation of a switch in the telephone exchange for operating the lire alarm. It should he clearly understood that,, while the ■ Department was willing to undertake this service free of cos’: to the Board, the installation must ho maintained by the Board, and the Department accepted no responsibility for the operation of the service.

At the Chairman ’"s suggestion, it was resolved tc write to the officers concerned, expressing appreciation of their services in bringing about the linking-up of the new alarm with the telephone system. A resolution was also passed thanking the Power Board’s engineering staff for their active assistance ,in installing the siren; likewise the staff at the local Post Oflice for their co-operation. SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORT. In his report for the quarter ended Juno 18th, Rapt Booth stated that then' had been three calls. One was to the bakehouse in Bath Street, at the rear of the Arcadia Private Hotel, only slight damage being done. The other two were outside the Borough, no plant being taken. There had been 12 musters during the quarter, the average* attendance being 33. The usual drills had been held, and the men wefe taking a keen inteiest in their work The strength of the Brigade is 17, comprising four officers, 12 firemen, and one messenger. The motor had had the generator, battery and self-starter installed, and these would be of great benefit in working at night. The plant and gear were in good order. The Superintendent suggested that a door be made for the shed, so that it might be kept locked. Mr J. Harvey had taken in hand the catting of the timber for the competition stand. The request for a door for the slu'd was referred to the local committee, with power to act. The secretary reported that he had been informed by the Superintendent that day that two good men were available in the event of any vacancies occurring in the Brigade, which is at present at its full strength.

ACCOUNTS. The Board passed accounts amounting to £216 10s 8d and confirmed payments running to £55 11s Gci —a total of £272. 2s 2d. Among the accounts 'passed wore £lO9 15s for the siren and Installation, £25 5s for improvement.' to the fire motor, £ll 10s for painting of the Fire Station, and £2 8s for badges for the Fire Police. OFFICIAL TELEPHONE. The local members were authorised to mate an arrangement for telephone service to the Superintendent's rciidence whereby the Board shah pay half the cost. t The Superintendent had suggested to the Board's secretary that the telephone to the Brigade Secretary's residence be transferred to the Foreman’s;

but the Ghninuan stated that, as the electric siren had been established, the telephone to the superintendent's residence would bn sufficient. This view was endorsed by the Board. ANOMALY IN BATING. The chairman said that there seemed to be an anomaly in the rating' tor tiro protection in Levin. Jr. several cases it was found that one closely settled fide of a street was bearing a lower rate than the other side with well detached buildings. A factor also to be taken into :onsideratiou now was the additional measure >1 safety ' ensured by the 309 telephones in the Borough having- become potential tire alarms. Mr ('Luke suggested that the Board communicate- with the Wellington Fire Underwriters’ Association, placing the position fully befoie it. Both Mr Grey ami himself were on (he committee, and would lie able to speak on the matter. The Ghairniav.: We sdiould endeavour to see that the best rale is availabL for the ratepayers. At present there are amnnalh s, which should be remedied. It was decided mi (he motion of Mr Jensen, seconded by Mr Millies, tint a letter be written to the Underwriters’ Association calling attention to the two ratings in Levin m i requesting consideration of the position.