10

H.—6a

The bell-tower at present at Mangawhare should be removed and set up in the vicinity of the Central Station, there to serve for hose-drying purposes, &c. In reference to the steam fire-engine, whilst of a very old type of engine it still has a good pumping-efficiency, and in view of the question of the reliability of the water-supply mentioned in a foregoing portion of this report, as well as for other reasons mentioned when in Dargaville, I would suggest your Board should reconsider their decision not to take the engine over, particularly if the Council is prepared to accept a nominal price for it. All the above recommendations were discussed and. more fully explained to the Chairman and other members of your Board during my visit to Dargaville and Auckland. I have, &c, Thos. T. Hugo, Inspector of Fire Brigades. Since the constitution of the Fire Board in January last only one fire, with a fire loss of £20, has occurred in the district. All members of the brigade attended at the fire. DUNEDIN. An inspection of the Dunedin Brigade, its stations, and equipment was made as follows: — City Section : 22nd April, when there was in attendance at the inspection muster the Superintendent, Deputy, sixteen permanent and three auxiliary firemen; or twenty-one in all. South Dunedin Section: 22nd April; present, Foreman, four permanent and two auxiliary firemen. Roslyn Section : 23rd April; present, Captain and seven firemen. Mornington Section : 23rd April; present, Captain and five firemen. The turnouts were carried out smartly and the equipment found in good order and condition. The following report was forwarded to the Secretary of the Board : — Sir,— 17th May, 1918. Following upon my recent inspection of the Dunedin Fire Brigade, its stations, and equipment, I beg to submit the following recommendations for the consideration of your Board : — That three permanent men be quartered at the proposed new temporary fire-station in the Roslyn District. That a portion of the new partially unoccupied Town Hall in Mornington be leased for use as a fire-station, to be equipped with a light motor appliance, and two permanent firemen quartered there. The third man quartered at the Roslyn Station might be utilized for relieving purposes at Mornington, and thus, without trenching on the strength at the Central Station, there would always be two men on duty at both the Roslyn and Mornington Stations. Whilst quite realizing the financial difficulties I consider the North-east Valley District should be provided with some greater degree of protection than it has at present, and it appears to me that this is a case wherein the local residents might be invited to " lend a hand " in their own interest. I have, &c., Thos. T. Hugo, Inspector of Fire Brigades. J. T. Hamann, Esq., Secretary, Fire Board, Dunedin. The new district station situated at Cargill Road, South Dunedin, is now in occupation, and to provide accommodation for a second married man the Board have purchased a section of land, with cottage thereon, adjoining the station; and the two old hose-reel sheds, situated in South Dunedin and Caversham respectively, have now been evacuated. Nothing has yet been done in the way of providing better means of protection from fire on the Harbour Board property, and I am making this matter the subject of a special report. FEILDING. An inspection of the Feilding Brigade and its equipment was made on the 29th April last, when there was present at the inspection muster the Superintendent, Deputy, and thirteen firemen; these, with one on leave, accounting for sixteen out of nineteen then on the roll. The various drills required were carried out in a more efficient manner than hitherto, and there certainly is an improvement in that particular, also the turnout was performed smartly. The station and equipment was found to be in good order. The same number of fires occurred in 1917-18 as during the previous year, with an increase of £16 in the fire loss. The attendance of the brigade at five calls, No. 4 omitted, averaged 108 of the membership.