The Star. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 27, 1873.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 1818, 27 December 1873, Page 2

The Star. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 27, 1873.

Until yesterday, a considerable time had elapsed since the Fire Brigade had been annoyed by a false alarm owing to a goree hedge taking fire. About a year ago these were of frequent occurrence, and with the present hot •weather, the chances are that the nuisance thus recommenced will continue. This is a serious matter to a volunteer body composed entirely of working men, who generously give a large portion of their valuable time at practice, and in coping with fires, conferring on the public the benefit of comparative security against conflagrations, aDd another attendant, but very tangible benefit in the shape of more moderate insurance rates than could possibly be obtained wero no such, or a less efficient, body in existence. In return for this, the least the public could do, would be to submit with good grace to any regulation the City Council might frame, with the double object of removing a constant source of vexation to the members of the brigade, and of positive danger to properties in the city. In all directions gorse fences are to be found, some well, but the majority badly iepfc, all encroaching, and some entirely standing upon the footpath, whence they have been driven through the side next the garden having been trimmed offcener than the outside. Owing, we presume, to interference on the part of the Council's officer?, a good many of these fences have recently been cut, but few of them sufficiently to cause them to cease to be encroachments on the thoroughfare. In respect to non-combustible hedges, it should be insisted upon that they are kept back off the streets. But, in respect to gorse fences, this is not enough, for a trimmed gorse hedge is more inflamable than an untritnmed one, and this can easily be seen by opening the green outside, and looking into its centre. The Council should be content with nothing lees than the total extirpation of gorse hedges from within the limits of the city, and this, we believe, they have full power to do, by adopting, or enforcing if already adopted, Clause 7 of part VII of the Thirteenth Schedule to the Municipal Act, 18G7, which reads as follows : — " It shall not be lawful for any person "to make or place or to keep or " continue any fence of brushwood " bushes or other like material witl-in • "the borough and every person w!i<>| " shall make or place any suoii j " fence and every owner or occupier of j " any premises who for seven days! " after notice from the Council to " remove any such fence thereto " appertaining if lawfully made or " placed before the coming into opera- " tion of this subdivision shall suffer " any such fence or any part thereof 18 to remain or who shall suffer to " remain any such fence unlawfully " made before such coming into opera- " tion shall forfeit on conviction for " auch offence a Bum not exceeding " five poands and in ©very such ease a' " further sum not exceeding forty " shillings for every day after any such " conviction during which such fence " shall continue." i