Manawatu Evening Standard. Circulation, 8.500 Copies Daily; THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 1908. A REMARKABLE FORECAST.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 8511, 13 February 1908, Page 4

Manawatu Evening Standard. Circulation, 8.500 Copies Daily; THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 1908. A REMARKABLE FORECAST.

It is seldom that a prophecy is so completely and speedily vindicated as has been the case in connection with a statement made by the Mayor,of Christchurch in 1904. This gentleman (Mr Wigram) was in that year contending for improvement in the city water supply, and his arguments were supported by the Superintendent of the Fire Brigade. Mr Wigram, in the course of his campaign, said:—"l am told by those directly responsible that in the event of a serious fire getting hold in certain of central blocks in the city during a nor'-wester there might be very grave difficulties in checking it. Several of the tanks which would be our first line of defence would bq empty after a few minutes' pumping, and valuable time would then be lost in running out long lines of hose to the river. 130 not wish to pose as an alarmist, but I decline to wait for a possible disaster and for the criticisms, which would then fall on the City Council and on its officers." Mr Wigrara was supported by Superintendent Smith, of the Fire Brigade, in these terms:—"ln case of a serious fire any two or three tanks would.be empty in a few minutes. Our only course would be to fall back upon the Avon, which is some distance from our heavily-stocked- warehouses and large business premises. The following firms would be very difficult to protect." Then follows a list of exactly eleven firms. Included in these eleven names are those of the D.1.C., Ashby, Bergh, Wardell Bros., W. Strange and Co., and the Kaiapoi Woollen Factory, also' Black, Beattie, which has now become part of Strange and Co.'s. The coincidence that in 1908 a fire should occur exactly as the Mayor foresaw, and that it should be greatly aided by the deiav in bringing water from the Avon, will appeal with painful force to Christchurch people, who will regret that they did not listen to the advice of their Mayor. At any rate,, the fire was of such proportions that they should be convinced of the pitiful inadequacy of th<*ir prevention service, and should immediately take steps to improve it. There is a lesson in this for every town in the Dominion. An inadequate water supply may easily result in an enormous loss of property by .fire, and as the best safeguard against this is an efficient water supply, it behoves those entrusted with municipal affairs to place matters on a safe footing.