BOGUS ALARMS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21616, 7 October 1933, Page 13

BOGUS ALARMS

FIRE BRIGADE CALLS YOUTHS IN WELLINGTON ONE WITH 30 OFFENCES COMMENT ON SERIOUSNESS [by telegraph OWN correspondent! WELLINGTON; Friday Police investigations into an unusually largo number of false fire alarms received by tho Wellington fire stations during the past few months resulted in the appearance of three youths before Mr. E Pago, S.M.. m the Magistrate's Court to-day. William Charles Haihvood . pleaded guilty to a total of 30 charges of giving false fire alarms, and George Thomas Pawson and Harvey Ashworth each pleaded guilty to five similar charges. Ashworth and Pawson committed the offences with which they were charged in company with Hailwood, who was jointly charged with them. Ashworth pleaded guilty to two further charges. During the past five months, said Detective-Sergeant Revell, tho local fire brigades had received in all 71 false fire alarms. Detectives Lone and Burke had been engaged on inquiry work for some months and tho charges had been brought as a result of their investigations. The amount of time occupied by the brigades in attending false alarms, said Mr. Revell, was 37 hours, 1309 men attending the calls. In addition to the men who actually attended calls, every other fireman at a station which received an alarm was brought on duty. There was a total of 139 turn-outs of fire engines as the result of the false alarms, and each turn-out cost an average sum of £5. Pour Engines Attend In tho case of a fire in the city area, two engines always attended an alarm, and all the firemen stood by in case they were required. On one occasion when a false alarm was given from tho centre of Lambton Quay no less than four engines were turned out and other engines were brought in from suburban stations to replace them. "Another feature about it is this." continued tho detective-sergeant. "If the firemen do not turn out to these alarms they are held to ridicule —they must turn out each time an alarm goes. "Haihvood is 17 years of age and he has treated tho whole of this matter more or less-: as a joke. Ho was before tho Court recently and on that occasion I asked that he should be given a chance. He was given a chance, and to show his appreciation he was setting off false alarms within a few hours." Ashworth had previously been before the Court for stealing a bicycle and Pawson for stealing cigarettes. "I would ask that in this case the Court should take a serious view of tho matter and impose such penalties that will act as a deterrent to others from giving these false .alarms," said Mr. Revell

Magistrate's Remarks Mr. Pago said it was quite clear that the offences could not be regarded as other than serious. The fire department had been involved in considerable expenditure, and each time fire engines were called out there must bo danger to the firemen and to the public. Generally there was also the risk that, at the time the engines were out attending false alarms, a genuine call might be received, and the brigade would not be in a position to attend to it as quickly as it should. Hailwood seemed to be the ringleader, and he would be committed to a Borstal institution for a period not exceeding three years. The probation officer, Mr. T. P. Mills, said Ashworth was regarded as being altogether irresponsible. Pawson, who was only 16 yearß of age. was looked upon as the least blameworthy of tho three. Ashworth and Pawson were each admitted to probation for a period of three years on the first of the charges against them. The magistrate made it a special condition that the defendants should observe hours stipulated by tho probation officer and keep what company he nominated. On each of the other charges the defendants were convicted and ordered to come up for sentence within three years if called upon.