IN CASE OF FIRE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 14143, 19 August 1909, Page 6

IN CASE OF FIRE.

SAFETY OF THEATRE PATRONS.

PREVENTION THE BEST SAFE-

GUARD.

AN ASBESTOS CURTAIN.

The recent destructive fire in the Strand Arcade has turned the thoughts of the public to fire prevention generally. There is nothing the public is so apprehensive about as the prospect of fires in theatres, and to -gain information on the preventative measures employed in Auckland theatres a reporter waited on Mr. C. R. Bailey, lessee of His Majesty's.

Mr. Bailey remarked that the fondness of the public for canvassing the chances of fire breaking out in a theatre seemed to him absurd. Not only was there no special reason why fires should start in a theatre, but as a matter of fact, a theatre was less liable to be burnt down than any other building, owing to the elaborate precautions taken against outbreaks. Mr. Bailey went on to refer to His Majesty's, Auckland, to illustrate how carefully the contingency of fire is provided against in a modern theatre. In His Majesty's, he said, the whole of the building and stage were lit by electricity, and the electric wires were doubly insulated and kept away from woodwork. The only occasion when a naked light was used on the stage was when it was introduced for the purposes of the play, and if, for instance, an actor lighted a cigarette for the delectation of the audience, he had instructions to watch particularly where he threw the. match, and to put his foot on it whenever it reached the stage, gracefully or dramatically, if possible, but at all events to ghis foot on it. The only naked lights in the building were in the dressing-rooms, where gas jets were required to melt the grease-paint, and these jets were stoutly protected by large wire guards so that nothing could get near them. There were no gas jets near the wardrobe, and even the electric lights in this part of the theatre-were protected by wire guards. Two firemen were stationed at the theatre during every performance, with their hands on the hose, ready for action at a moment's notice, and chemical extinguishers were also handy. These firemen inspected the building before and after each performance. There were abundance of emergency exits, and the theatre had passed not only all civic requirements, but had been designed by the Hon. W. Pitt, the most expert theatre architect south of the line. Separating it from the Arcade was a fire-proof wall 2ft thick.

Mr. Bailey mentioned that the directors of the theatre had, about, three weeks ago, cabled Home for an asbestos curtain, as a further protection, and it should be to hand in a month or two. A small asbestos curtain was in use at the Opera House, Wellington, so this would be the second in the Dominion. It would be the very latest and best of the type, one of the kind that had saved the Drury Lane Theatre from destruction. It was a mechanical curtain, and the best moving so far produced.

Mr. J. Fuller, owner of the Opera House, traversed much the same ground as Mr. Bailey. , Going behind the stage, he pointed to the lengths of hose ready for use, and explained that there was sufficient hose to go to any part of the house or roof and a good pressure of Water. He also pointed to the chemical extinguishers lying handy, the electrical installation, and the protected gas jets in the dressing-rooms. " Still," said Mr. Fuller, "you may make a ' theatre fireproof, but you cannot make an audience panic-proof, and so we provide plenty of exits." Mr. Fuller led the way to the emergency exits, from which it was apparent the house could be emptied in a remarkably short space of time, and without any fear of dangerous crushing at the exits.