FIRE BRIGADES.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXIV, Issue 18823, 11 March 1931, Page 10

FIRE BRIGADES.

RETIRING INSPECTOR’S ADDRESS. OFFICERS ELECTED. By Telegraph—Press Association NELSON, March 10. Captain Hugo, Government Fire Inspector, who is about to retire, addressed the Fire Brigade Conference to-day. He said a higher state of efficiency in brigades was essential in the Dominion. As to the lessons learnt from the Hawke's Bay disaster, the matter affected the Association very much regarding the lives of firemen. There was the matter of walls coming down and firemen being killed. The Association should take some part in these things, particularly since an Institute was to be inaugurated. He wished it success. Parapets and cornices were still being erected, notwithstanding the lessons' learnt. He took up the matter some 26 years ago at a Municipal Conference at Wellington, and a number of resolutions were passed, but nothing came of them. In same part the matter came up again after the Murchison earthquake, but nothing was done. He was speaking last week to the president of the Institute of Architects, and he stated that in one or two instances in Wellington ornamentations had been removed from buildings. In one case ten tons had been taken off. When he (the speaker) took the question up, the opinion seemed to prevail that overhanging parapets. etc., dropped straight down. When there was a wall swaying with immense weight on it, it must throw itself across the road. This was only too well exemplified in Napier, when parts of cornices and parapets were lying right across the streets, many lives being lost. He reiterated that although they had had a lesson, nothing was being done, and he urged the Association in the interests of its members to take some part in this matter, as the lives of firemen were at stake. Why should not buildings, he asked, consist of some fireresisting materials which were now on the market. Another matter that should be taken up was the filling of studs in three-storey buildings. Instead of filling in studs, they were left open, and if a fire got behind the lining firemen knew what it meant. The next subject dealt with was the fire hydrants and ball system which was in vogue in New Zealand at the present time. He strongly recommended that in future ground hydrants should be installed.

The vice-president, Superintendent Tyler, expressed the thanks of the Association for the address. He wished Mr Hugo every happiness in his retirement. His services had been very much appreciated, and the speaker moved that a resolution to this effect be recorded in the minutes.

The election of officers resulted:— President, Supt. C. W. Tyler (Rangiora); vice-president, Supt. Boon (New Plymouth), Deputy-Supt. J. R. Wilson (Milton); secretary and treasurer. Fireman Osborne (Onehunga). The following received gold stars:— P. H. Prestney (Rangiora), W. Wildish, (Gisborne). H. C. Trotman (Greytown), F. W. Jackson (Carterton), T. J. Watts (Newmarket).

Mr Hugo, in paying tributes to the work of fire brigades at Napier and Hastings at the time of the disaster. He said there had been columns of eulogy in the Press • concerning the work of the Navy, nurses, medical men, and others, but hardly a word, if any! of the splendid work of fire brigades. As an eye-witness of the disaster he could say that he did not believe any body of men had done finer work. He had seen some of the men drop from sheer exhaustion.