ESCAPE FROM FIRE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 10044, 3 February 1896, Page 4

ESCAPE FROM FIRE.

A short time since, on the occurrence of a calamitous lire at To Aroha, we referred to the great danger to life and property in those townships where the houses, sometimes two or three storeys high, stood close together, and were entirely of wood, and where there was no water supply. In that fire, and the one which has just taken place at Rotorua, there seems to have been an absence of the means of escape. All keepers of hotels and lodging-houses are supposed to provide lire-escapes, but apparently this is not enforced. In Auckland this matter is looked after, but it would appear that in the country towns, where the clanger is infinitely greater, means of escape are not furnished, and lodging-houses are allowed of such construction that it is almost impossible to get out of them. Rotorua, of nil townships, should have been secured. It is under the immediate control of the Government, who have enacted regulations in respect to a great variety of purposes connected with good order, sanitation, etc, The Government have had a water supply brought into the township of Rotorua, which gives an excellent pressure. There is, however, evidently no organisation to apply the water to the extinguishment or fires. In. the account it is stated that there was a good' supply of water handy, but nothing could be done with'

it. ■ Rotorua, however, is an in having a water supply at all m V townships of the dangerous si™ 05 no water supply Tliene tmvn ß Mps ft all. some form of local government, «[, one of the first objects ought to ff water supply. This is a matter in i , the Government of the country O mS to assist, both for the sake of the nnffi health and for the safety of Tiff 1 property. Some time since, in writin! about Paeroa, which has lately creased so rapidly, we referred to th need of a water supply, and w e a glad to see that since that several ot th residents have been appointed a con mittee to go into the subject, with view of getting water from one of th creeks. The Government, it is sa j, contemplate a new Bill dealing wit municipalities and townships, and i such a measure some encouraeei ner should be given to take precautiot against destruction by lire.