South Canterbury Times, TUESDAY, JUNE 13, 1882.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2876, 13 June 1882, Page 2

South Canterbury Times, TUESDAY, JUNE 13, 1882.

Mu Levestara has introduced a wellintentioned Bill entitled “An Act to provide for the further and better protection of life and property from fire within the,colony of New Zealand.” Clause 2 is a very practical and proper provision, “ After the passing of this Act the duty of extinguishing Ares and protecting life and property in case of fire in cities or boroughs shall be intrusted to such City, Municipal, or Borough Councils.” This seems to be based on the soundest reasoning. The Borough Council holds a responsible position. It collects the rates and presumably looks after the general welfare of the town. The principle of Volunteer Fire Brigades looks well enough on paper, and, as a matter of fact, most Volunteer Fire Brigades have been remarkable for energy, vigilance, and pluck. But a Volunteer Brigade is not sufficiently responsible, and there are always liable to be internal disunion in the force itself, and quarrels with the Council. It seems better, on all sides, that a Fire Brigade should 'be part and parcel of the municipal machinery.’ The rate can hardly be -called oppressive, nor do we see any objection to the provisions of clause 4, “ That for the carrying out of the purposes aforesaid, it shall be lawful for the members for the time being of any City Corporation or Town Borough, as aforesaid, to make and levy such rates, not exceeding one penny in the pound sterling per .annum, for the purchase, maintenance, support, and repair of any engines? fire apparatus, uniforms, stabling’fodder, and horses, necessary for such maintenance and support as aforesaid; and such rates, when so levied and paid, shall be exclusively devoted to the purposes aforesaid ; such rate to be -made and collected with the general rate.” Or Gibson managed las{! night to persuade the Council that the power conferred by this clause was objectionable. His objection was to the dangerous innovation of “ allowing Councils to impose rates at their own sweet will.” For our own part we do not see why the ratepayers need be specially consulted in the matter of imposing a Fire Brigade rate. The Councils are 'not likely to impose such rate unless public feeling were favorable to it. The appointment of a municipal officer, superior to the chief officer of the Brigade, • follows in natural sequence. This officer is the Chief Fire Inspector. The provisions concerning him arc most satisfactory, and tend to the speedy extinction and probable diminution in the number of fires. The powers with which he is clothed by the Act are very comprehensive. His is, in fact, an impromptu magistrate :

“ (1.) He may take the command of any fire brigade, fire police, salvage corps, or other persons who by previous agreement with the Council have placed their services at the disposal of the Council, or who for the time place themselves at bis disposal. (2.) He may order any fireman, fire police officer, or police-constable to remove any person who, by their presence or otherwise howsoever, interfere with or impede the labours of the fire brigade or other persons in extinguishing the fire.” - 5 ,

The water supply is wholly at his disposal during the continuance of a fire ; he may regulate and control it at his own will. He is, in point of fact, in supreme command while a fire is raging. Provision is made for the enrolment of a fire police ; and persons are held liable to penalties through whose negligence or wilful default fires occur. Finally, section 'IC will meet with universal approval:— “ 16. It shall not be lawful to use any building within a borough of more than two storeys high as an hotel, or public lodging-house, without providing on the outside of such building one or more iron ladders or other approved means of escape fixed from the top of such building in front of the window of each storey to within ten-feet of the grorfhd, so as to provide a means of escape therefrom. Every such ladder or other approved means of escape must be fixed and shall be constructed in such manner as shall be required by the surveyor or other officer appointed by the Council.” The intention of the Bill is evidently to reduce the number of fires' and to provide for their speedy extinction when they do occur, by placing the whole machinery. in the hands of qualified and responsible officers. Surely we have had fires enough in New Zealand to have cause'to welcome any legislative enactment which shall relieve us from the dreadful visitation, and reduce the risk to life and property to a minimum.