METROPOLITAN FIRE BOARD

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23688, 21 December 1938, Page 18

METROPOLITAN FIRE BOARD

MONTHLY MEETING The monthly meeting of the Pun* edin Metropolitan Fire Board was held last night, and was attended ; by Messrs W. W. Callender (chairman). J. Wilson, W. A. Scott, W. W. Johnstone, M. Silverstone, N. D. Anderson, and L. G. Wilson. Appreciation of Services An illuminated minute conveying the St. John Ambulance Association’s appreciation of the manner in which the board had controlled the ambulance transport was handed to the chairman by the president of the association (Mr John Ash) and Dr A. R. Falconer. Mr Ash said that his association deeply appreciated the capable manner in which its transport had been controlled by the board since the date when the ambulance motors had first been housed at the Central Fire Station in 1919. The members of the brigade had always given loyal and willing service to the psociation, and had taken a keen interest in its activities. It was a matter for regret that the board could no longer see its way clear to continue with the transport arrangements. Dr Falconer endorsed Mr Ash’s remarks. Accepting the minute, Mr Callender assured Mr Ash that , the board, in giving the service it had done had realised the humanitarian nature of the work being carried out by the association. He was sure that every member of the board regretted that it had been found impossible to carry on with the control of the ambulance transport. ■ - « Superintendent’s Report The superintendent (Mr R. H. Price), in his ’monthly report, stated that not one of the 10 outbreaks of fife attended during November could be classed'as serious. The causes of fire were:—Backfire 1, gas ring left burning 1, hot ashes 1, over-heating of fat in oven 1, short circuit 1, sparks from copper fires 2, back draught from kitchen range 1, unknown 2. The staff is at full strength,, and the , members have been engaged in routine duties during the month. The plant is in the usual good order. On the evening of October 22 the brigade received a malicious false alarm from the street alarm at the corner of Hlghcliff road and Every street, and on November 18 a young man appeared in the City Police Court charged with the offence. He pleaded.guilty, and was placed on probation for 12 months, ordered to pay the sum of £ 5 6s, the cost of calling out the brigade, and required to take out a prohibition order. The police were to be commended for the lengthy inquiries made before the offender was apprehended, and it was very gratifying to have the magistrate inflict a penalty which might act as a deterrent to 4>thera. • The report was adopted. Finance Accounts amounting to £2174 3s Id were passed for payment.