THE New Zealand Times. (PUBLISHED DAILY.) WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 12, 1898. THIS MORNING’S FIRE.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXVII, Issue 3330, 12 January 1898, Page 2

THE New Zealand Times. (PUBLISHED DAILY.)

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 12, 1898. THIS MORNING’S FIRE.

With which are incorporated the Wellington Independent, established 1845, and the Now Zealander.

One or two useful, though expensive, lessons have been gained by this morning’s lire. Chief among these is the inadequacy of the material of which tho Fire Brigade is possessed for coping with an outbreak anywhere out of what may be termed the “ beaten track.” Had the Brigade possessed a steamer, a stream of water could have been playing on one of tbe buildings which had to be sacrificed to the flames at least half an hour before any effectual effort could be made to cope with the onrush of the fire. At one time, it seemed as if the Meat Export Company’s building would share in the devastation, hut by sheer dint of pluck—fighting against what seemed overwhelming odds—our Brigadesmeu fought the fire inch by inch, and prevented its spread past the large dwelling-house and on to tho timber piled between it and the freezing works. It is impossible, of course, at this moment to single out any of the Brigadesmen for especial praise; but certainly those who went into tbe yard between the cooperage and tho dwelling—when flame and smoke occasionally seemed to swallow them up—rdeserye our' recognition and our thanks. The lives* and property of the citizens, in such men’s hands, are as safe as British pluck and devotion to duty can make them. The officers who directed the work were cool and collected, and we could only regret that they did not possess one of Shand, Mason’s engines, which would have beaten out the fire long before the pressure could be got on from the city mains.

And this brings us to a consideration of the question of protection on our harbour frontage. With a steam-engine the most powerful possible jets could be thrown on any of the large warehouses which front the different quays, and in this way much property—perhaps human life—might be saved if, unhappily, there should come an outbreak amongst the lofty and valuable buildings with which the reola : med land is studded. There is also the question of the wharves. How could they be saved if a gale were at its height and the Brigadesmon had to wait for the pressure as they were compelled to wait this morning ? This is a question worthy consideration and we trust that, instead of having to depend on the possibilities of turning on the pressure after the outbreak of what is to prove a destructive fire, we shall be certain so soon as the alarm is given that there is a conflagration oa the sea front —or indeed anywhere well within reach of the quays a steam fire engine will be in full play within nine or ten minutes. Let us, however, congratulate tho Brigadesmeu for their work under the distressingly trying circumstances, and express the hope that they may be provided with very much better material wherewith to fight tbe flames in the greatest possible emergency than they are in possession of at present.