WATER TO FIGHT FIRE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18895, 18 December 1924, Page 13

WATER TO FIGHT FIRE.

ADEQUACY OF THE MAINS.

INVESTIGATION IN TRAIN.

PRACTICAL TEST PLANNED.

Tho charges mado by the superintendent of the Auckland Fire Brigade, Mr. W. L. Wilson, as to the inadequacy of the water supply in certain residential areas were considered at a meeting of the Auckland Fire Board yesterday. It was decided to hold a test in a selected street which members of tho board and City Council could attend to seo for themselves the exact state of affairs. It was stated the question had been under review prior to the fire in Waitemata Street, Ponsouby, which provided tho text for Mr. Wilson's charges.

Most of tho discussion at tho board meeting centred on tho propriety of Mr. Wilson making a public statement regarding the poor water supply and its causes. It was agreed that an error of judgment had been made by tho superintendent, and that any statement on such a matter should bo mado by the board after representations had been mado to the council, and the charges fully examined and substantiated.

The chairman, Mr. J. J. Kingston, emphasised that there were extenuating circumstances which minimised tho indiscretion. Mr. Wilson had been up all night fighting tho fire; he was naturally workedup about the water supply, and he knew tho matter was already under review. Moreover, ho had recently returned from Australia, where it was the custom for lire superintendents to make full statements to the newspapers after outbreaks. Superintendent's Charges. In opening tho subject, tho chairman regretted that matters in regard to the fire in Waitemata Street had got out of tho usual channels. Had ho beeu in town, Mr. Wilson would have reported to him and it was tho policy of the board to deal directly with tho council. An extenuation of tho unusual procedure was that Mr. Wilson had been up until 3 a.m. fighting the fire, and naturally was full of his subject. When approached by the press he " opened out." The matter of new mains had been considered some time ago, and was still under review. There was little doubt tho water supply was short in some areas. A plan of tho water mains was being prepared by the council, and the board would go into the wholo question with the waterworks engineer. Mr. J. B. Paterson, a representative of the council on tho board, said reports on fires should be made by the board and not by any of its servants. If any exception were to be taken to supply, it would be more courteous for tho hoard to approach the council. Tho chairman repeated the extenuating circumstances on behalf of the superintendent. Tho latter was troubled by the shortage of w-ater. Mr. Wilson interpolated that he had been asked certain questions, and his answers he believed to be absolute fjicts.

Corrosion of the Pipes. Mr. Paterson said the pipes had only been laid two years, but some foreign deposit in the soil had corroded and caused them to burst. Something unforeseen had happened, but reports on the occurrence should go through the proper channels, and should bo properly substantiated.

The chairman said on previous occasions similar matters had been referred to the waterworks engineer, which was the usual method. The fact remained that the superintendent still thought certain parts of the town were not properly reticulated for fire-fighting purposes. The whole matter should be placed before the council. A practical demonstration could be held, which would prove what supply was available in a particular area. An alarm would bo given, and the message passed on to the valve station in the usual way. Members of the board and council could then see for themselves if there were any weakness in the system. Mr. Wilson said he would like to correct the Mayor's statement that the main had burst in Waitemata Street. The fault was in Daldy Street, which was on a different level to Waitemata Street. Mr. Wilson also corrected an impression that the brigade took 12 minutes to reach the fire. It took 12 minutes for the message to reach the station, and the brigade was on the spot immediately. Mr. Paterson said the main in Daldy Street was being completely examined. The discussion then ceased.