PREVENTION OF FIRES

Taranaki Daily News, 19 December 1931, Page 13

PREVENTION OF FIRES

QUIET PERIOD IN NEW PLYMOUTH. QUARTERLY MEETING OF BOARD. The New Plymouth Fire Board its quarterly meeting on Thursday evening. Present: Messrs. W. C. Weston (chairman), J. Brown, R. J. Pentecost, L. M. Monteath (secretary), A, Boon (superintendent)’and E. T. Petty (captain of the Fire Police. A quiet quarter, similar to the previous one, had been experienced, reported the superintendent. There was a total of 16 alarms compared 11 last quarter. I Twelve of the 'calls were ,to rubbish fires and outbreaks in the lupins on the beach, and four to genuine'fires, including, the Moturoa Oilfields derrick and the New Zealand Express Company’s stable and store in Hobson Street. The full strength of the brigade was called out on five occasions. < The board was particularly Jndebted to Messrs. Boon and Petty for their addresses to school children ' during Fire Prevention Week, stated the chairman. Very valuable work had been done. The children had taken a great interest in the talks and it w.as pleasing to see the way they responded to the instructions. Pedestrians and motorists had also been educated as to the care which should ba taken when an alarm was given. The thanks of the board were also due to Mr. R. Day for his supervision of cleanup day for the offices and for his radio talks. . . ■ The superintendent stated that he had received a letter from the inspector of Fire Brigades asking him to judge, essays on fire prevention in this district. So far, said Mr. Boon, only two essays had been sent in. It was decided that the chairman and Mr. Boon make further inquiries when the schools re-opened. The sale of fire extinguishers during Fire Prevention Week had been disappointing, stated the chairman. The question of the necessity for providing extinguishers for larger halls and places of amusement was left in the hands of the superintendent. The resignation of Mr. C. H. Wyatt, who was removed to Auckland, as a sinking fund commissioner, was accepted, and Mr. R. J. Pentecost was appointed to the position. In connection with the new alarm system, it was decided to write to the Ltd., Farmers’ Fertiliser Company, Ltd., Taranaki Producers’ Freezing Works, the Harbour Board, and the bulk oil stores, offering to install their own alarm boxes at those places, if the boxes and cost of installation were provided by those bodies.