FIRE PROTECTION.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17349, 14 May 1924, Page 12

FIRE PROTECTION.

MEETING OF BOARD. The meeting of the Christchurch Fir» Board last night was attended by Messra A. Williams (chairman), J. K. Cameron P. H. Harris, H. Holland. E. H. Andrews and H. R., Rusbridg©, The superintendent reported that 33 caila were received during the past mpnth: 13 out in the city and the defence of thu gaged at an outside fire when a fire broke false alarms (10 malicious). 5 rubbish, gorse and hedge fires, one tar fire and It actual fires. The estimated fire loss was £1242. insurances being £14.000 and value of property affected £25,333. The superintendent, recommended that owing to the enlarged fire protection area three additional permanent firemen should be engaged as from July 1. He also recommended that the 10s weekly bonus now paid to the men should become part ot their weekly wage, and that. the full amount should be the standard wage of the permanent staff. Mr Cameron said he understood it' wa« arranged last year that the bonus should become part, of the weekly wage. The secretary sail there was no resolution to that effect. Mr H. Holland paid the proposed ncreases in wages would swallow up the extra- amount received from the outside brigade, and if all the personnel and plant were required at a city fire they would be available. 'Mr Holla.nd said that part of the personnel’ and plant might be already eo contributing bodies. The increase in the staff as recommended by the superintendent was really for the benefit of the out* side districts as opposed to the interests of the city. Mr Harris said that the interests of tbo city were the first consideration of the plant. The matter of increased pay and staT was referred to the Finance Commit* e to consider and report to the next raeetRegarding the recent fire at the Wo«f stop Tanneries the superintendent state! that on April 10. at 0.26 p.m . th.> brigade was called to the Woolston Tan neries. On arrival it was seen that the had obtained a firm hold of the bnil !- ing and contents. The brigade's work was. therefore, confined to saving the adjoining property, and after a strenuous j fight their work was successful The damage was very considerable and would not be finally assessed for some time A proposal to place £4500 on the estimates to rebuild the Sydenham station was held over pending an inspection of the property. It was asrreed 10 urge the Minister or Internal Affairs to have tb«= Fire Brieadr* Act amended to make the board's financial year Close on March 31 in place of Juno 30. as at presentRegarding the Hendon Street fire art! the alleged difficulty of the brigade in locating tho fire plug in Hill's Road, the chairman said that according to a report, received from the foreman there wa« i delay of two or three minutes in locating the plug, which wa-s covered over owing to the road being under repairs. Orieinally. the chairman said, the plug was six fepf from the building line, but since Hill’s Road was widened the plug new stood sixteen feet from the building line. Mr Rusbridge said ho was satisfied wi*n the reports of the officers. The statement bv the citv surveyor that the plug was quite visible the next mornin? was no doubt correct, for it was flnallv located and uncovered by the firemen the previous evening. The citw surveyor'** statement that the plug was used by the road roller on the morning previous might also be quite correct, but in the meantime the road repair done during the day had prohaldv covered up the plug. The hoard accented the explanation of ita officers and decided to ask the <'itv the plugs uncovered when road formation