FIRE BRIGADE'S YEAR.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume VII, Issue 2142, 27 December 1920, Page 10

FIRE BRIGADE'S YEAR.

ONE SERIOUS OUTBREAK. 185 CALLS ANSWERED. A short review of the work done during the year by the Christchurch Fire Brigade* has been issued by the superintendent (Mr C. C. Warner). It is as follows: "The total number of calls to fires or supposed fires was 185. Of these, 31 were for malicious false alarms, 27 were for false alarms from various causes, 27 were chimney fires, 18 were rubbish, grass and hedge fires, six were for outside district calls, and 76 were for actual fires within the city. The only serious fire occurred on March 10, when property owned and occupied by Mr Albert Peppier was totally destroyed, involving a loss of £BOOO. Otherwise, the year, from the brigade's point of view, has been very satisfactory. "I regret to state that the brigade has still to contend with the actions of irresponsible persons in sending in malicious false alarms to the station, and I would again ask all citizens to co-operate in bringing these culprits to justice. I would point out that, whilst the brigade's staff and plant are away j attending such calls, their services may 'be required for a genuine fire where ,Jife is in danger, possibly at the home 'iof the person who was responsible for the false alarm. If such people only realised what their foolish actions may mean, then the brigade would receive less calls of this nature in future.

"The work of the brigade is of a varied character, for, in addition to attending to the extinction of fires, etc., some £33,000 worth of porperty owned by the board in stations and plant has to be kept in thorough, renovation and repair. Inspections of public buildings, theatre duties, hydrant and fire-alarm inspections, watchroom and other multifarious duties are carried out by the staff, who at all times are ready and willing to perform such duties in the interests of the citv and its people. "An additional' 1500 feet of 2Jin rubber-lined canvas hose and three gas masks have been placed in commission, ! during the year. Arrangements are now being made for an extension of the fire-alarm system to Beckenhani, Opawa, St. Martins, North. Linwood, Avonside,

sold early in the year at £ll6, ex dividend. It has now sold at £95, cum dividend. Meat large profits immediately after the War from the sale of tallow, but otherwise their earning capacity has little 'altered, as is shown in the balance-sheet of the Canterbury Frozen Meat Co., Ltd., recently issued; yet £1 shares of the New Zealand Eefrigerating Co., Ltd., which reached 02/3, are now down to 40/-. To instance the decline- in woollen company shares: The Kaiapoi Company's stock, £5 paid, reached £lO. These have since been divided into five shares at £1 each, and are quoted at 30/- apiece. The equivalent value, compared with the old shares, is £7 10/-. The increase in capital should correspondingly increase the earning capacity of the company. * Gold-mining shares are very weak, but this description of investment is purely speculative. *\Vaihis sold early in the year at 53/9, and are now down to 30/-. But other causes than the financial stringency have contributed to this.

and North-East St. Albans, and it is hoped to have the work completed within the next six months.

- "I trust, during the coining year, that some definite arrangements will be made by the several local authorities to provido fire protection in their suburban areas;.also that the city water supply and drainage will be extended to such areas, as no doubt such important undertakings as these are most essential for the welfare of the community, and should therefore take precedence over all other works."