The Pahiatua Herald. with which is incorporated THE PAHIATUA STAR. Published Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 1894.

Pahiatua Herald, Volume II, Issue 110, 12 February 1894, Page 2

The Pahiatua Herald. with which is incorporated THE PAHIATUA STAR. Published Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 1894.

Tiie fire which swept away the Union Hotel and adjoining buildings yesterday morning only serves to emphasise the absolute necessity of obtaining an efficient fire-fighting plant for the Borough. There cannot be the -lightest doubt that at least a couple of hundred pounds' worth of the property which was destroyed could asily have been saved had the firemen been possessed of suitable appliances. Had there been even a small manual ngine available the stables adjoining he hotel would certainly have been matched from the burning, and it is nore than probable that under the <ame circumstances the fire could have been confined to the back portion of ‘he hotel. There was an abundance of water in the creek loss than fifty yards away from the burning pile, and >f this the firemen took the fullest advantage. 'lt was owing to their welldirected exertions, supplemented by those of a few residents, that Mr Gregg’s house stands to-day, badly charred but intact. These men worked well, and are deserving of every credit for so doing ; but where once a fire obtained a firm hold all their efforts, no matter how strenuous, were useless. A bucket brigade was powerless to extinguish the flames and the most that could be done was to confine their scope as much as possible. A conflagration could not have found any town more unprepared than was Pahiatua yesterday morning. The firebell was missing from its tower, a victim of misapplied energy ; and as for fire-fighting appliances, save a few buckets, Pahiatua is innocent of anything of the kind. The lesson should he a salutary one. Hitherto the town has been wonderfully fortunate in having had no fires of any magnitude. But there is every prospect of a prolonged period of dry, hot weather, and this, surrounded as the town is bv bush fires, means danger. A fire almost anywhere in the business portion of the town must, in our present unprotected state, mean the intvitable destruction of nearly all the buildings in the centre of the town. The question cannot be trifled with. A fireengine is urgently needed and nnUnUt rolentet the Borough Councillors will be forced to take action in the matter. The safety, almost the very existence of the town, is at stake, and until the n ace is provided with some means of combating the danger there will be no peace for our municipal authorities.