The Manawatu Standard (PUBLISHED DAILY.) The Oldest Daily Newspaper on the West Coast. MONDAY, JANUARY 4, 1886. DANGER FROM FIRE.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XI, Issue 1599, 4 January 1886, Page 2

Manawatu Standard (PUBLISHED DAILY.) The Oldest Daily Newspaper on the West Coast. MONDAY, JANUARY 4, 1886. DANGER FROM FIRE.

rrea now covered by handsome and i substantial buildings a smouldering mass of ruins. This is not the first time by many a score that we have written upon this subject within the last few years. We almost despair of attaining any good results by referring to it editorially, because we ! have so often attempted,but without success, .to stir up enthusiasm m. a matter of such vital moment We allude to it once more as a matter of simple duty on our part as public journalists, on whom it is incumbent to continue to warn people of neglected precautions against a common danger. Our many previous warnings have been allowed to pass unheeded, but we warn yet again, so that should unfortunately our oft-repeatpd predictions be some day verified m a manner that must result disastrously to the town, it cannot be said that we have remained silent when our remonstrances and protests should have made themselves heard throughout the community. We have read m the Wellington papers the accountof the recent terrible fire there which involved a destruction of property estimated at little short of c£2(),000 ; and we have read m the Hawke's Bay papers the sad, sad story ot homes destroyed by the relentless fury of the bush fires, which have devastated the country for miles, and the thought came to us to again bring before, our readers how helpless and unprotected against fire is jhe—in all other respects — progressive town of Paimerston / North.

Scakcely a newspaper m the North Island can now be opened which does not narrate tales of disaster and peril by reason of the spread of fire. An important district m Hawke's Bay has had a .terrible fiery baptism, and many families are now left homeless m consequence. In various-.- parts >of the North Island and also m the South has there been sad destruction of property by fire. In Wellinjgton a terrible conflagration has recently occurred, which might easily have encompassed the destruction of half that city. When our telegrams or exchanges tell us. of destruction of valuable property by fire, our thoughts invariably turn to the unprotected state of Palmerston. Should a jirolonged drought set m,, as there are several indications that it may, the peril must become more alarming. With our streets covered oh roadway and footpath with tall grass* which a few more 'days 1 drought will render as inflammable almost as gunpowder, once ignition took place, the flame, especially if there was a brisk breeze, would speedily become a power Irresistible, ! which would sweep ■> away . fences, buildings, and property m one common scene of destruction. It is marvellous from what a distance, under favourable circumstances, a fire will spread, to what remote locality, it -will travel,' and what intervening obstacles, it willsurmoun t. There was Wellington, with all its splendid water supply, quite incapable of controlling, much less extinguishing the fire that broke out there, -and caused such havoc last week. The following extract from a leading article m the Post will speak for itself: — " While regret- { ting the misfortune of the sufferers from yjest'erday'g fire, it is impossible, on a calm review of the whole I circumstances, to refrain from feeling thankful that the loss was not much greater f and more widespread.; It is, indeed, scarcely possible to rightly estimate the magnitude of the danger which the city so narrowly escaped. Had ,the fire got i hold of any one of the blocks on the eastern side of Latribton-quay, the greater portion of the business part of the city would inevitably have been swept away. There . would, indeed, have been no means available to check the progress of the flames, and there would soon have been such a mass of fire that control of any kind would have been out of the question. The sparks which would have been carried abroad by the strong wind would probably have caused new conflagrations m different parts of the city, and as all wooden buildings are now through long drought, as? inflammable as"tinaer, Wellington would, on a small scale have repeated the Chicago .disaster. Probably gun r powder or dynamite would have afforded the only means of stopping the progress of the fire m the large business blocks. Water from the principal mains might have been procurable hi certain places to an unlimited extent, but there was no hose or other appliances to render it available. In fact, the single fire which did take place was more than sufficient, apparently, to exhaust all the means and appliances available m the city, for fire extinction purposes. A danger of no mean magnitude has fortunately been escaped on this occasion, but it behoves the City Council to take immediate steps to. provide against the possible and. indeed by no means improbable, recurrence of the danger." We commend the above remarks to the consideration of the public of Palmerston, for their application is tenfold more direct and significant m the case of Palmerston than m that ( of Wellington. THere is hot m all New Zealand, a town of the size, population, and importance of Palmerston so unprotected m the event of a fire occurring, .and whose population, apparently, is so indifferent to the impending peril by which at any hour of the day or night it may find itself encompassed. Our Fire Brigade has been given no sufficient; encouragement 't;6 induce its 1 attaining a high state i of proficiency, and it merely exists by the grace of ! the Borbugh Council. Not even a fire engine, or appliances worth 'speaking of! It does seem a miracle that the town has escaped so long the visitation that, under certain conditions, would inevitably leavealarge