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H.—6A

Lawrence. Inspection, 19th January, 1921. At the inspection muster there was present the Superintendent, Deputy, and six firemen, these with one on leave accounting for the full strength of the brigade -a groat improvement ou the attendance hitherto. The various drills were carried out in a satisfactory manner and the station and equipment was in good order. Levin. The new fire-station was opened on the 24th June last. It is constructed of concrete, and contains a commodious engine-room, social room, three bedrooms, office storeroom, and all necessary offices. A 1-ton truck chassis had been purchased and a body suitable for ladder- and hose-tender purposes built thereon. A street fire-alarm system has been installed, consisting of six call-boxes, but the receiving-instrument cabinet is not suitably placed and should be removed from its present position as recommended in my report dated 2nd July, 1921. As recommended in my previous reports, a competent and experienced officer should be placed in charge of the brigade forthwith. Masterton. Inspection, 21st April, 1921. At the inspection muster there was present the Superintendent, Deputy, and nineteen firemen. Various drills were carried out with the motor machine and steam fire-engine in a satisfactory manner. The steam-engine is working well after its recent overhaul. The station and appliances good order. The Lansdowne district is now amalgamated with the Masterton Borough. The district is an extensive one with several blocks fairly closely built upon, but the water-supply is limited and inadequate, and the Borough Council should be urged to proceed with the extension of the gravitation supply as soon as possible. In the meantime four street fire-alarm boxes should bo installed at or about the positions mentioned in my report dated 26th April, 1921. Milton. Inspection, 12th January, 1921. At the inspection muster there was present the Superintendent Deputy,, and seven firemen. The manual pump was taken to one of the wells and got to work, but again, as at my previous inspection, considerable delay—six minutes —occurred before water was shown. These delays are due to the pump not being kept properly primed, which should be done at least once a week. Otherwise the station and plant were in good order. New 2-J- in. couplings and an adaptor coupling, 2 in. into 2| in., are required. Napier. . Following upon the Napier Borough being constituted a fire district, an inspection of the Napier fire brigades and their equipment was made on the 13th and 14th July, 1920, when a report was furnished to the Fire Board, the principal recommendations being as follows : Strength of brigade to be reduced from 5,5 to 38, 24 to be attached to the town district and 14 at the Port. A site to be purchased and a new central station erected. A new station to be erected at the Port. Tender to be accepted for supply of a 60 horse-power turbine pump and 50 ft. extension ladder to be housed at the central station. A 1-ton truck chassis fitted up as a hose-and-ladder tender to be procured and stationed at the Port in lieu of the present one-horse hose-reel. A street fire-alarm system to be installed. Minor equipment, such as hand-pumps, smoke-helmets, &c, are also required. A second inspection was made on the 31st May last, when the various drills were carried out in a fairly satisfactory manner, but it is apparent that more systematic squad drill is required. A test of the newly acquired 60 horse-power motor turbine and first-aid pump machine was made on the 21st June. On the whole the trial was satisfactory, but I found it necessary to make several recommendations that will increase the present working efficiency of the machine. New Plymouth. Inspections, 2nd and 3rd November, 1920. It was evident during the course of the inspection drills that there was considerable room for improvement, and the members of the brigade require more drill and instruction. Up to the date of my inspection no second permanent man had been appointed as recommended upon several previous occasions. Extensions to the street fire-alarm system has been decided upon, and the positions were fixed for additional boxes. A section of land 82 ft. by 136 ft. adjoining the Central Fire Station in Courtenay Street has been purchased, and plans for the erection of four firemen's cottages thereon have been approved. Oamaru. Inspection, 11th January, 1921. There was a manifest improvement in carrying out the various inspection drills. The station and equipment, with the exception of the motor, was in good order. The Board have reduced the authorized strength of the brigade to sixteen all told. For various well-recognized reasons, rarely, if ever, is the full strength of a volunteer fire brigade available at any one time, and even were that not so, in this case sixteen is not a sufficient number, and the Board would be well advised to restore the brigade to its original strength of twenty. As previously recommended, it is time that the Board took in hand the installation of a system of street fire-alarm.

3—H. 6a.