The Star. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 17, 1868.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 30, 17 June 1868, Page 2

The Star. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 17, 1868.

The iriro Police form a moot useful adjunct to tho ITiro Brigades of tho city, and luvvo donogood Borvico during tho < comparatively nhort period of tlioir onrolmont. But, in common with many othora, wo think ifc very doflitablo to augment tho numbora of thofio police, and quite poHßiblo to onlargo thoir uaofulno«» by extending thoir organization* At prouont, tho functionfl of tho Tiro 'Police ooora to bo somewhat circumscribed, Thoy aid in looping a clear apace round a firo for the onorntiona of tho Brigade, and specially watoli ovor any proporty that way bo romovod from tho burning or adjoining houflflfl, So far, thia ia, as wo have alroady remarked, -most Ufloful work, and has boon woll porformod. Any poraon who han boon proaont at a flro in Ohi'ifltelmrch, or inaood any whore olho, miufe havo noticed tho mad • rooldoßnnonn with whioh people attempt to v savo " proporfcy. Thoir intentions arc oxeollont, but thoir work is "generally wowo than uflcloss. In fact, . it often happens that they destroy more 'than thoy aayo. And not only this.

Whether from excitomont, or from in* ability to porcoivo what proporty io tho most valuablo, ifc offcon nappono that comparatively worthless nrfcioloa are carried out, while other/*, inftnitoly moro vnl uablo, aro loft to perish. It appear*, then, that wo want a body of mon — call thorn a Salvago Oorpo, or by any othor name— who, from habit and oxporieuco, are likoly to know what to remove at a flro, and how to doit. Wo are convinced that a corps ' of this doacription, compoeod of aefcivo, intolligont mon in whom tho 'public have confidence, who would proaorvo aomothing iiko ordinary calmness under oxcitoinont, and wliobo attention would bo oololy diroctod to Having proporty, would bo of incalculable bonout in case of a largo fire, Bueh aa wo may oipoot to see in .Olu'itffccliurcli, Tho corps should bo comnosod mainly of ahopkoopors, moolianicfl, and, porhapa, cartons. Tho formor aro accus« tomod to handlo goods carefully and rapidly; thoy know at a glaneo what artioloa aro moat valuablo, and the moro contact, as it woro, with thoir every- day employment, would tond to Jfoop down undue excitement, Trifling as this may aoom, it ia truo, and ought to bo borno in mind in tho formation of such a corps a« wo have boon apoaking of. Moohanica, more oapooially oarpontora, would bo vory useful mombora of a Salvago Oorpa. Nvavy one must have «oon howaholvos, drawers, counter, and other things, aro rocklcaaly pullod about at a ilro by mon drawn indiscriminately from tho moh, Oarpontors, if auppliod with one or two of thoir moat useful tools, would bo of inflnito fiervico at a fire, and would roally aavo muoh valuablo, property, Oartora, also, are in the habit of handling and lifting goods, and thoir oxporionco could bo turned to good account. Imperfectly as wo have described tho organisation and usofulnoag of a Salvage Oorp», wo havo reason to boliove that many mombors of tho Eiro Police aro moat anxiouu to boo it oatabliahod, oithor an ft aoparato . brigado, or au a flection of thoir own body, Thoro can bo no doubt whatovcr as to ita utility, and thoro ought to bo no difficulty m finding, flay fifty suitable mon. Wo trust tho members of tho tf ire Police, in conjunction with thoso of tho 3?iro Brigade)!), will give thia mattor thoir earnest attention.