CONTROL OF FIRE BRIGADE

Taranaki Daily News, 26 March 1932, Page 7

CONTROL OF FIRE BRIGADE

I THE NEW PLYMOUTH BOARD CALLS RECEIVED DURING YEAR. SALE OF DENNIS FIRE ENGINE. .The quarterly meeting of the New Plymouth Fire Board was held, on Thursday night. Those present were Messrs. W. C. Weston (chairman), J. Brown, R. J. Pentecost, L. M. Monteath and the superintendent of the brigade (Mr. A. Boon). During the quarter ending March 31, stated the superintendent’s report, 21 alarms of fire were recorded, the brigade turning out to eight calls, five of which were fires. Of the remainder 15 were to rubbish and incipient fires and one a motor-car. For tho year ending this month a total of 59 alarms was given as compared with 46 last year, the full strength of the brigade being called out on 21 occasions. Sixteen were fires, aud of the balance 32 were rubbish, lupins, etc., seven chimneys, two motor-cars, one a motor-cycle and one a fire outside the town. Several miles of new water mains were laid and new plugs fixed, a great number beiu" without indicators or marks of any kind, which at night would be very difficult to find. The proposed sump in Egmont Street had not been put in but if the work was to go on it should be completed while the water in the river was low. Special demonstrations were given with the Dennis fire engine to prospective purchasers, the engine and _ the pumps proving in first-class condition. ALARM SYSTEM IN ORDER! The installation of the new six-circuit alarm board of the battery type with charging set and batteries had been completed and so far had proved satisfactory. The route for each new circuit had been carefully considered and Mr. W. H. Huggett, electrical engineer tb the New Plymouth Borough Council, had been asked to report' and supply an approximate cost of wiring, lire alarm boxes could be installed as required. The work would prove costly and a part might be done each year. This might save a special loan which would be necessary to complete the work at once. Cash required for firemen attending drills and fires amounted to £25 18s 6ci and the yearly boot allowance io. £2l. Among the requirements for the brigade was 500 feet of hose.

The superintendent said that Inspector R. Girling Butcher, Dominion inspector of fire brigades, was pleased with the work of the New Plymouth brigade when he inspected it. The brigade had performed its drill with greater smartness and showed an improvement. It was decided to apply to the borough council for a duplicate copy of the water reticulation system of the New Plymouth borough and to forward it to Inspector Butcher. The board, said the superintendent, had agreed to wait until late in the summer before installing the proposed sump in Egmont Street, which was to assist the water supply in that part of the town. He thought the brigade might be ’able to continue without the installation of the sump. of it would ba between £5O and £7O. On the motion of Mr. Weston, who said the board had a good deal of expenditure to consider, it was decided not to install the sump until next summer. .The brigade should endeavour to. carry on without it, he considered, in view of the fact that there was a new engine to be purchased. Consideration could ba given to the question again next summer. Mr. Huggett’s report on flie installation of a new alarm circuit was considered and it was decided to write to the borough council pointing out that the board was making large. extensions to the alarm system and asking the council to meet the board in the question of charges for the use of poles. ESTIMATES FOR YEAR. When the board was considering estimates the superintendent stated that 500 feet of hose would be necessary and it would be advisable to install about 15 new alarms. The boad decided to place on the estimates the sums of £BO for hose, £7O for the installation of a sump in Egmont Street, £430 for alarms, and £250 towards the purchase of a new engine. The Auckland Fire Board had accepted, the offer of the board to sell the Dennis machine for £5OO provided the. machine was delivered, reported the chairman. • It was considered the responsibility of transporting the machine to Auckland should not be accepted. It was decided to accept the offer with that provision but to allow the New Plymouth driver to go with the machine to Auckland. Mr. Pentecost suggested it might .be preferable to sell the 'Commerce engine and retain the Dennis as there might be use for it in the future. The chairman explained that even if the Dennis were kept for another 15 years it might only be called out once or twice. . Y In discussing the estimate for a new machine the chairman said the New Plymouth board had operated very economically and fire loss had been more than satisfactorily small.