AN EXPLANATION.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XLVII, Issue 4983, 7 February 1877, Page 3

AN EXPLANATION.

TO THE EDITOB OP THE LYTTELTON TIMES. Sib, —The necessary brevity in reporting meetings leads at times to misapprehension. At the recent meeting of the Fire Police, Mr Mitchell alluded with regret to a rumour that the pay of the regular police here was likely to be reduced, and he considered the best men would consequently retire from the force. So far the report stated, but it omitted to follow up and show that Mr Mitchell alluded to the subject with a view of urging the great necessity of fostering an efficient Fire Police to supply deficiencies in other quarters in case of fire. In Mr Mitchell’s interesting narrative he related having been present at a fire in London, where the regular police in their efforts to keep back the crowd, drew and used their staves, ending in one man being killed, and several other persons, among them a girl, carried off to the hospital, dangerously injured. Mr Mitchell was of opinion that such an occurrence would not have taken place if the regular police had been assisted by a body of citizens, enrolled to preserve order in the same manner as our Volunteer'Fire Police are, Yours, &0., H. E. ALPORT, Captain Christchurch Volunteer Fire Police. WIDENING COLOMBO STREET. TO THE EDITOB OP THE LYTTELTON TIMES. Sib,—l trust you will pardon me in requesting a small space in your columns to correct an error which appeared in your report of the Oity Council’s special meeting on Monday, Feb. 5, which was to the effect that I said by removing the fountain at the corner of the Bank of New Zealand, it would give ten feet to the roadway. I beg to state that I said by removing the said fountain it would give three feet to the roadway, and by rounding the corner of the footpath it would give more facility for wheel traffic than the ten feet on the other side of the street. By inserting the above you will greatly oblige. I am, &c., Feb. 6. JAB. GAPES.