WEST COAST TIMES. THURSDAY, AUGUST 17, 1865.

West Coast Times, Issue 32, 17 August 1865, Page 2

WEST COAST TIMES. THURSDAY, AUGUST 17, 1865.

"We propose to write on a subject of vital importance to the inhabitants of this town, and one which experience teaches us is very difficult to attract public attention to. It is everybody's and consequently no one's business. To sit at night by a good fire ruminating over the results of -the past day, and speculating a little as to the .probable events of the morrow, is generally a pleasing and consolatory occupation, provided always that the monetary condition of the . man so engaged be satisfactory, and that he possess the"mens sana in corpore sano." To stand with his hands in his pockets next morning looking at the smouldering remains of his house, ruthlessly destroyed by , his comforter of the previous night is altogether another matter. He went to bed tolerably well off as times go, and he finds himself a few hours afterwards a poor man, utterly ruined perhaps, but at all events surrounded by difficulties which it may take months or years to overcome. It is strange but nevertheless true that an almost insuperable apathy with regard to the danger arising from fire, prevails amongst the inhabitants of newly formed towns — golrtnVUl towns especially; and proper precautions arc rarely taken until some groai conflagration, attended may-be by loss oi' life, has brought the subject forcibly vi,ci''the notice of each member of the community. It would seem that the more fragile and combustible the material'-^ ■of a\ hich a town is built, the less disposi'lion there is to guard against the enemy which may in the space of an hour reduce the whole to an unsightly heap of ashes. 'Ihere never is a Fire Brigade where the stores are of canvas ; the difficulty of organising t brigade is rather less when wood has usurped the place of the former material: bu >'• the perfectly appointed fire engine, ami 1 the well, .drilled and pludji baud who wor<> • it, are to when the streets arc^UgMttH^H .and the danger t^^^^^^^^^^^^^H sened. No douj|^^^^^^fl^^^^J^H greater vnluej^M^^^^^^^^^^^^H

revy many people, and the risk from fire is ten times greater than when the stronger and more costly substance is employed. Over and over again have we observed this insane disregard to a danger which is constantly present, and we confess that it is more for the sake of performing what is clearly a duty than from the hope that our remarks will speedily bear fruit, that we have called public attention to a great public want. 'The town of Hokitika is so flimsily built, and the maiu street is laid out in such & manner as to be peculiarly liable to serious accidents by fire. Revell street stretches for nearly a mile, and for a great part of that distance the buildings are closely packed together. Calico, canvas, and wood are everywhere to bo seen, with here and there corrugated iron, a substance which would form but a sorry barrier to the progress of the flames. Nor is that all : the Avidth of the roadway is curtailed to such au extent that two men may almost shake hands across it. A fire, therefore, having once established a firm hold on one side would in a very few minutes spread to the other. Suppose a strong southerly wind to be blowing, and a building near the river were to take fire, how much of the business part of the town do our readers think would be saved ? Before Mr Cassius had fairly come to understand what had happened to him, Mr M'Beath would be tearing his hair at the destruction of his drapery warehouse; and that occupation being completed, he would be in time to watch the triumph of the flames over Joe Hai'ding's Corinthian Hall. The whole affair would go like a box of matches, and on account of the difficulties of communication with other ports, the population would run a fair risk of being starved. The value of the buildings is as nothing compared to the sum represented by the merchandise stored within their walls, and which would be either wholly destroyed or damaged to such on extent as to render it nearly valueless. This Is no overdrawn picture ; it may occur any day, and a like accident has happened more then once in Australian towns constructed after the manner of Hokitika. Already there have been one or two alarms of fire — the last one being, we hear, in dangerous proximity to a quantity of kerosene. Now, we do not believe that for some time to come a properly organised Fire Brigade will be established in this town. A serviceable fire engine costs a considerable sum of money, and is not always to be obtained at a minute's notice, nor is an engine the principal thing that is here wanted. Every large fire is the scene of indescribable confusion, unless where the mob is kept back and the work of staying the flames left to a body of men who are associated together under an efficient leader, and come to the scene of action properly provided witu requisite implements. The service that a Brigade could render here would be in pulling down buildings some distance ahead of where the fire was raging. Some of their number could be at this work, whilst the remainder cou'd be employed with buckets, that is to say if a supply of water were available. And this leads us to another part of our subject. If a fire were to occur to-morrow, at a considerable distance from the river, no adequate quantity of water «ould be obtained. There should be tanks sunk here and there — a work which might easily be accomplished at a comparatively small cost. The sinking of these tanks, and the cost of supply*ng axes,&c., to the Brigade would include all the outlay at present necessary. As for the Brigade itself, the business men must enrol themselves. Tt is done elsewhere, and why not at Hokitika ? We do not mean that 1 , the general pnblic should be altogether debarred from assisting at fires. That would bo neither politic nor practi • cable, buy their efforts would bo directed and controlled by the Brigade, the members of which should be distinguished by a red jumper and helmet. Thus far we have endeavored to indicate what our fellow townsraon should at once take in hand, though it in much to be feared, as we above remarked, that they will do nothing of the kind, but wait patiently un*il the placo is in a blaze beforo they bestir themselves in earnest. Wo would remind them, however, that this is a question which wholly concerns themsc^^^rhey imujjM^flflj

it were found that sufficient funds could be raised for tho purchase of a really good fire-engine, it should be sent for at once, for Hokitika is not like tho generality of goldfields' towns in one respect. It is the depot for a great part of the West Coast, and will remain a town whether the goldfields in its immediate- vicinity fail or not, The purchasers of a fire-engine need not therefore, be frightened of having it remain as a useless incumbrance on their hands. There would, doubtless, be work enough for it until a now one were required to replace it. As Hokitika already possesses a body of men who have been selected to carry out any necessary improvements within the town it would properly come within their appointed sphere of action to move in this matter, and wo sincerely trust they will let no time pass without doing so.