FALSE ALARMS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21554, 27 July 1933, Page 8

FALSE ALARMS

FJRE HOAX EVIL,-; I A DANGER TO LIFE /% HEAVY PENALTY THREATENED''I ' % m "The false firc-alnrm hoax is becom- Ufi ing nn increasing evil," said Mr. A«C "1 CI. Lunn, at a meeting of the Metro, ilj politan Fire Board yesterday. "Every iV'j time a false alarm js given life arul'{© property arc endangered, and the very fine organisation we havo' established for fire protection is disorganised." The superintendent. .Mr. W. L. Wilson, said that on Tuesday night two ■' £>< l false alarms were given, one just before a genuine alarm to a fire in Queen Street. Another false alarm was given in the One Tree Hill district. 1 "I suggest that when the next culprit is discovered and is found guilty we should ask the police to press fop <"M a heavy penalty," Mr. M. J< :i||| Coyle. "It is a very serious matter." • a|| : Mr. R. J. Mills asked whether ifc was the custom to offer rewards for the apprehension of the guilty persons. g|S The chairman, Mr. J. J. Kingston, said the question had been considered ||v| before, but had not been put into effect. Mr. J. li. I'aterson said there would be a great public outcry if a serious fire occurred and life were lost while the tire-protection system was disorganised by malicious false alarms." i,° The chairman said the board would - certainly press for a heavy penalty when the next culprit was caught.