THE DESTROYER (1893).

Colonist, Volume XXXVII, Issue 7828, 4 January 1894, Page 3

THE DESTROYER (1893).

" Goeth about like a rearing lion, Eeeking whom he may devour." To the Editor of the Colonist. Sib,— The fire Jiend began his spoils on the first day of the year now departed, and finished his work, so far as we know at present, on the 17th of the last month There is nothing very remarkable to note, whilst there is something to be learnt from the experience of the past year as to certain further necessities imperative for strengthening the hands of our ever -willing Volunteer Fire Brigades ; this will be noted hereaftar. It is, however, matter of mutual congratulation tha $ the Destroyer has accomplished far less of destruction than in the preceding year throughout Nelson, Marlborough, and Westland, the latter district, however, suffer-* ing most, as will be seen, Nelson Citt. ■ Tbe Brigade has been called out six times during the twelve months, bub unfortunately their services were not crowned with the usual succiSP, owing to remediable deficiencies, which, once discovered, will doubtless be. du'y provided against. Each building attacked has heen an unoccupied or uninhabited one, two being sfcables, and two dwelling houses quit 9 recently vacated. There was one gas explosion, whioh would have been accompanied by serious consequences but for the timely intervention and presence of mind of one member of the Brigade, who was badly injured for bis pains. There appear to some minda certain grounds for suspicion, as .regards- the two vacant dwelling houses which were burnt, both in the early mornings -.and within a comparatively short intervalV Nel&jn SijßyiaßA_.. Of 18 {ire's ' (the. Same . number as in tbe previous 1 year), 1 ' eight 'were, "agricultural risks" (stables or stacks), only one of which was insured; and three """Of the properties were of considerable value/ Nine of the buildings destroyed were untenanted, which included three flax mills. MA.BLBOBOTJGH. This formerly fated district comes out on this occasion the most fortunate, there being but two losses, both well insured, an agricul tural risk at Springlamds, and a dwelling house at Pelorus. Blenheim has reversed her experience, having had no casualty, or tven an alarm, so far as is known. Westland records thirteen fires, all being buildings and their contents; by two of these fires sta; buildings were destroyed, making seventeen in all. Greymouth has suffered most, there being eight losses in the town and four suburban, the aggregate destruction of property being about £5890, of which only £1640 was insured. : .. , . It is lamentable, to learn that, notwithstanding tbe' possession of a new and power" ful steam, fire engine, with the most modern and improved appliances, this town seems to be at.:":the'mercyL'ot "the: fire." On the last oceas on of its being called out, it is asserted tbat the blook of buildings— large store (with stock), Drill Shed (with gun-room and contents), and cottage adjacent — were consumed before the arrival of the steamer, too late for aotion. The manual engine, although not so late, had proved too late even to keep the flames in check, or the fire from spreading— this, moreover, occurring in daylight, not far from midday, i It is boasted in most of the towns in New Zealand that the engines can arrive at the si c, " steam up," in sevea to eight minutes from the alarm signal ; but the water is usually.kept at high temperature by means of burning gas jets, and the " kinddng " ol inflammable material, always laid ready for lighting. Tq any curious enough, or sufficiently interested, I shall be happy to show my tabulations from whioh this information is collated. It is, at best, but approximate as I bave this year found much trouble in obtaining reports.. To those of my agents who have been kind enough to oblige me in this way, I beg to tender my best thanks. ■ Deductions. From the foregoing, and from observations j on the occurrence of fires, in the city particular^ (and from an? q( wbich I am MtyHPt tt '

ever, absent), itis evident that, well-equipped and expert thbugh out. volunteer firdmen ! may be, there are oertain matters yet fou nd wanting, and. in order to r.m.dy the evil must not be covered or ignored. THB^WMSe^PiffiVstteE has* been found inadequate during the year ; in two instances partioularly the stream did not reaoh muoh 1 beyood' half 'the height of the loalls, instead r 6f covering the roof of the burning building. This ! beis^beeh ' (rightly or . wrongly) ascribed to 'he imperfect system (or want of system) ol'sigrMlirig. tb those "whose, duty' it is to sea the foil pressure tUrned on. It i 3 said there is only, a single telephone at the service of the Brigade, and .that is in one of the rooma within the Police Station, and often inaooessib'e to the offloers of the Brigade, or to the pnblio. This is surely remediable ! ' 'Again, it is. said that in other towns in New Zealand, there is a system of telephoning whereby the officers of the brigade can immediately oommunioate with each other, or with ihe keeperTbf lhe' waterworks, by night or by day, and by which the looality of the fire could be iadioated, often avoiding the loss of the'preoiou , 'j?J'st minutes, and all this oan be provided at an insignificant cost. . Removal or Hose .Seels. — Tne publia are generally found, to be very .willing to aid tha fireoaen, according to their own lights, in oonveying.the reels to the ece.iß of the fire, cut for want of knowledge, and for want of though*;, instead of plaoing it bj* the nearest fireplug, they,.. will- take ■'it- olose up tothe turning building, from •"wh"eho'e[it..has to be ! again brought to tha water source. In some jinst'an'oea, moreover, in exoess of zeal, tha bhoi'e has been run but from off the reel and Iknotted and " kinked " almost inextrioably, ito the great annoyance of the branohman, 'and the waste of valuable time. A board, painted with' ihese 'precautions to the publio, jas well as the table of fire alarm signals, ;should be fixed outside of every hose station. . ! . j^? E * LnGS shouli be periodically examined, and tried, and be periodically freed from dust, and stones, and -« ailc "^ — it does not seemtb-'be; understood •to whom this most important duty devolves, butit ought to ba dearly defined. Every fireplug, moreover', should bave an indicator on the nearest wall, ;or on a standard- speoially* trebled in proximity for the'pu^p'bße. " | It may be said that all this entails further expense^ I o&nnot see that muoh expenditure lßneefled, beyond the installing of the jtelephoki«, which woald hot have to be repeated—the .mnni.oigaW~and.the insuranoe bompanys would' dureiy obntribdta this (and doubtless-, the Government would grant tha free use of the Telephone Exchange, if needed for Buoh an importantpublio service). As an Insurance Agent,! hesitate not to say, whilst I do ; not profess to think that insurance oompanies. should be-oaHedlUpohtosu&sidwe the fire-brigades, they ought not, nevertheless, to be forbidden or interdioted by any Underwriter's or Insnranoe Assooiation, trom aiding in the service, or in making a gratuity (or, rather, a well earned reward), when a oompany of good and' true men have voluntarily sacrificed their oomfort, their clotheß, and oft times their health, for the benefit, among others, of the insnranoe offioes, whoso' interest tbey unselfishly endeavor to protect on all ocossions of need. And the same I think, holds good with regard to their most usefnl auxiliaries, the Salvage Corps. Wishing them oontinned sucoeas.— Yours, <feo , W. M. Stanton. Insuranoe Chambers, Trafalgar street, Nelson. January 2nd., 1894.