ASHBURTON NEWS

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19269, 5 January 1931, Page 14

ASHBURTON NEWS

BRIGADE CALLED TO TWO FIRES IN THE BOROUGH

The Ashburton Volunteer Fire Brigade was called out twice yesterday to deal w’ith grass fires. The first alarm was given at 10 a.m. The fire, which had started near the dump at the bottom of Williams Street, travelled through the bottom of a. plantation, and, despite the efforts of helpers, who fought the flames with sacks and branches of trees, spread to a borough reserve between the South-east Belt and Williams Street, leased by Mr J. M’Cormick. A strong wind was blowing at the time, but the brigade had the situation well in hand before any serious damage had been done. The second call was at about one o’clock, a fire having broken out in some long, dry grass on the Borough Council’s native reserve at the northern end of the traffic bridge. The brigade was quickly on the scene, and soon put the fire out. The second call yesterday was the fourth received by the brigade in forty hours. To conserve the supply of high-pres-sure water and to relieve the heavy work put upon the pumps lately, the Ashburton Borough Council has issued a notice restricting the use of high-pres-sure water for gardening purposes. In two hours of Friday, as much as 50,000 gallons of water were used, and. despite the fact that the main pumping apparatus was kept at .almost peak load, namelv. 28,000 gallons an hour, the level of the tank dropped 4ft. The order of the council provides that garden? may be watered between six and eight o’clock in the morning only. Tent Destroyed by Fire. About one o’clock on Saturday the Ashburton Volunteer Fire Brigade received a call to Grey Street, where a fire had broken out in a he.dge dividing the properties of Messrs G. Gorman and H. Anderson, and had spread to a sleeping-out tent occupied by Mr L. C. Gorman. Fortunately both families were home at the time, and Mr Gorman's house was saved. Ihe tent was destroved, and only a few effects were saved.” The brigade turned out smartlv. and with one lead of hose removed any possible danger that may have remained in the way of smouldering timber.