THE MONTHLY SUMMARY OF THE LYTTELTON TIMES WILL BE PUBLISHED ON SATURDAY NEXT, FEBRUARY 11. (INSTEAD OF TUESDAY THE 14TH.) The Lyttelton Times. SATURDAY, MARCH 11, 1865.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XXIII, Issue 1350, 9 February 1865, Page 4

THE MONTHLY SUMMARY OF THE LYTTELTON TIMES WILL BE PUBLISHED ON SATURDAY NEXT, FEBRUARY 11. (INSTEAD OF TUESDAY THE 14TH.) The Lyttelton Times. SATURDAY, MARCH 11, 1865.

The fire which occurred at mid-day yesterday in the Papanui Koad is far from being the most destructive which Christchurch has experienced. But it sounds the often repeated note of warning against danger almost more loudly than it has ever been heard before ; and it shows also in a most agreeable manner the good use to which the resources which we now possess against the spread of fire may be put. The late long-continued hot weather, and the blustering scorching north-west wind prevailing at the time, had rendered all wooden buildings peculiarly combustible, and gave the greatest possible encouragement to the conflagration. The hot sun and dry wind had absorbed every drop of moisture out of weatherboard and shingle, and had turned walls and roofs into a material almost as susceptible to fire as straw or shavings. Not only was this the case, but the strong hot breeze blowing at the time carried the flames over wide spaces, through growing trees which they scorched in passing, and along thin lines of connecting timber work from one combustible edifice to another. So dry were the buildings that in one place the flames communicated to a wooden turret on the top of an iron roof, supported on thick brick walls, by passing up the rafters from wall-plate to ridge, without showing signs of their progress. ! These facts, and a hundred others observable at yesterday's fire, form a warning to the town. In summer, when the parching north-west wind has been blowing for a few weeks, we have to realise that the major part of Christchurch is nothing better, than tinder, liable to catch fire at a spark, and to leap into a blaze at a puff of wind. Are we to continue to live m such danger, and to go on trusting that it is other streets and other people's houses that catch fire, and not our own ? It was intended, if we mistake not, that a law should be passed last session of the Council compelling builders in the crowded parts of the city, in future, to use uninflammable materials. But this very desirable precaution was so jumbled up with provisions for quite other and abstruse objects that the Council refused to swallow the mass of matter for the sake of the valuable grain buried within it. "We do trust that the City Council will give the point their attention, and encourage if they cannot compel builders to use party walls of brick or stone, and roofs of iron or slate, as largely as possible. The fire, yesterday, might have succumbed much earlier to the wonderful influence of the steam fire engine had the building next to that in which it broke out been able to stand against the blaze for a few minutes longer. And this capability of resistance, enabling the flames to be confined to a single building, is one of the most essential points when a fire occurs in a crowded block of houses.

We have spoken of the steam fire engine. It displayed its great efficacy to the full extent, yesterday. "With a double hose, each stretching nearly a thousand feet, it threw two heavy columns of water on the burning buildings from behind and before, each of which fairly smothered the flames upon which it fell. Mr. Eutland's premises were far gone when the stream began to come ; but the conflagration was arrested midway, and the skeleton of the house was wrested from the very gripe of the fire. There can be no question but that the town is deeply indebted to those who suggested, subscribed for, and effected, the introduction of this friendly fire-eating monster; for if its powers be used with care and address the liability of the city to conflagration will in fact be reduced in a very satisfactory ratio. Christchurch, in its winding river and abundant bottom waters, which only need boring for, possesses material resources against fire with which few towns can compete. It so happens that the greater part of the town, in which buildings have growu up close together, lies within practicable distance of the river. But it is not all so; and every year, almost every month, witnesses the growth of blocks and streets which are by no means so accessible. The natural re-

source lies in the artesian springs ; but even these, so far as they have yet been developed are but evidence of what may be done, and cannot be called complete as a provision against fire. The town awaits a practicable suggestion on this point. It will be a disgrace to Christchurch if an exensive fire does ever occur, with the means which we possess of extinguishing a conflagration even in the worst cases. But, much as we feel the value of the steam fire-engine, of the river, and of the artesian wells, still, with our imperfect arrangements, a great fare is quite possible. One caution more is suggested by the fire. In this case as in many others report says that the cause is unknown. Fortunately there is a law enabling the facts to be gathered by legal process and submitted to a jury. This ought to be done in every case; and the coroner's inquest ought not to be delayed until suspicious circumstances come to light. If enquiry is the rule, incendiarism maybe prevented for fear of exposure ; but if it be not the rule, not only will the fear of detection be lessened, but the chance of it will be reduced by the mere feeling that to enquire ill-a special case will always be considered equivalent to suspicion, and investigation will not be made unless the case be already tolerably notorious.