OUR FIRE BRIGADE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 9774, 22 March 1895, Page 3

OUR FIRE BRIGADE.

TO THE EDITOR. Sib,— your report of the fire in Wellsstreet in to-day's Herald, you "say : " The Fire Brigade and Salvage Corps turned out, but were unable to save the cottage." No wonder ! I saw the brigade on theie way to the fire, and I must say they are tbe slowest fire brigade I ever set eyes on. By St. Matthew's Church I met the boss cart with a few firemen on, drawn at agentle trot by one horse. Round the corner I met two firemen slowly toiling up the hill, and farther down I met several men (Salvage Corps I presume) struggling! with a hand-cart loaded with ladders, etc: Given a favourable wind, there would be plenty of time for half-a-dozen houses to burn down before the men reached the fire. A passer-by observed, It reminds one of the Dark town Fire Brigade." In England I have seen the Volunteer Brigades of small country towns, with populations of 5000 to 10,000, turn out to a fire, and they do it with a will. They know, as all firemen must know, that when going to a fire every moment is of the greatest value. If ib is a long way or a hard road, extra horses are harnessed, as the utmost speed must be kept up all the way up hill and down dale, and no matter how shorb the distance is two horses are always used. If the Metropolitan Fire Brigade were to go about its business in the half-hearted manner the brigade did here yesterday, the greater part of London would be burned down in a very shorb time. It is ridiculous to send out the brigade with one horse seeing the hilly nature of the streets here; worse sbil? to expect men to push a trolly load a> ladders. The men are tired oub before they reach the place where the fire has been. I am surprised that Auckland, which is so forward in many things, does nob possess better facilities for coping with fires, considering there are over 50,009 people whom the fire brigade is supposed bo care for.—J am, etc., J.BAuckland, March 20,1895. *