THE POLICE AND THE FIRE BRIGADE.

Patea Mail, Volume IX, Issue 1057, 9 July 1883, Page 2

THE POLICE AND THE FIRE BRIGADE.

,■ TO TUB EDITOR. Siß.r—l Ihink'the remarks of <l Observer ” in your last issue on “ Fire Alarms and Police Censorship ” entirely uncalled for, seeing that Sergeant Donovan is precluded by reason of the position he holds of the i-ight of replying. What is more, if the Sergeant was not justified in acting ns he did, he certainly had some excuse. It appears that “ Observer” when interrogated as to who told him to ring the bell, replied “the Captain.” Now Sergeant Donovan, in speaking as he did, was aware that Captain Dixon was out of town, and that false alarms had been raised lately—as witness the case of the Mail Office some months back.: (“ Observer” himself admits that he did not know the locality of the fire in this instance, but had merely heard the cry raised. If ho were to rush and ring the bell every

lime ho hoard the cry “ fire !” all I can say is that he would find his time pretty well employed). ' Even supposing Sergeant Donovan to-have been entirely in the wrong, ‘‘ Observer ’' should have made allowances,' *■;. and considered before attacking him in a source which the former cannot .avail .himself of. Policemen are not infallible ! Even if they wore, it does not seem probable they would be allowed to pursue the even tenor of their way here, for in the Borough Council the other evening they were blamed for not sufficiently attending to their duty.; and now, Sir, -your correspondent accuses them of, the opposite extreme. . The local police try their best to fulfil their duty and please everyone, but while persons like “ Observer” remain—ready to take offence at the slightest thing—they will not succeed 5u accomplishing this.—Yours, &c., ■ . Friend op the Man in Blue.