WHISKY AND RUM AS DISINFECTANTS.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XVI, Issue 916, 26 September 1907, Page 22

WHISKY AND RUM AS DISINFECTANTS.

FIRE BRIGADE SUPERINTENDENT’S METHODS. The Chief Secretary of South Australia has received a report from the Fire Brigades Board dealing with circumstances which led up to the resignation of Superintendent Booker, a few weeks after his return from a trip to England. The report states that the attention of the Board was attracted a few months ago by contracts for the supply of stores and horse feed made by Superintendent Booker without authority. The stores were obtained at Port Adelaide, and the prices paid were much in excess of Adelaide prices. The Board thereupon ordered that in future all such stores should be requisitioned. A little later Booker applied for four months’ leave of absence on full pay, which was refused, but at a subsequent meeting he produced a medical certificate from two leading doctors stating that he was in a serious nervous condition, and intimated that extended leave was imperative. The Board, therefore, granted him leave. When he had gone an audit of the department called attention to the sum of £6O in the accounts put down for disinfectants. Inquiries were made, and it was discovered that the goods invoiced as disinfectants were, in fact, whisky and rum. Upon Booker’s return from England, he said it had been tac't'y understood by the old Board that he was to debit what refreshments had to be obtained for entertainment of visitors to a 1 special account, so that the item would not be challenged by the Audi. Commissioner.; He presumed he was fulfi'ling the. intention “Wf' the .Board' by deb'if ng the. cost, as disinfectants. The report goes on to state

that probably the most important question that called for attention was the supply of hose. Booker had always assured the Board that the standard make of hose known as Rob Roy had been used by the brigade. After his departure for England attention was called to the inferior quality of the hose, and on inquiry it was ascertained that it was imported hose of German manufacture of inferior quality. Booker paid as much for it as Rob Roy could be obtained for. In his explanation he said that he did not know that the prices were excessive. Further allegations of a similar nature were made, and Mr. N. G. Sparks, de-puty-superintendent of the Sydney Brigade, who was engaged to make a thorough investigation of the Adelaide Brigade and plant, confirmed in every respect the adverse report which had been received from the local deputy-superin-tendent.