N.Z. FIRE BRIGADES.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3340, 5 October 1911, Page 7

N.Z. FIRE BRIGADES.

INTERESTING ANNUAL REPORT. VALUE OF AUTOMATIC ALARMS. (From our Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, Oct. 3. In the report of the Inspector of 'Fire Brigades presented to Parliament todayT Mr Hugo states that whilst quite recognising and giving every credit, to the United Fire Brigades’ Association for the good work it has done! in the past and is doing at present towards increasing the efficiency of the fire. service of the' Dominion, there is a direction where considerable improvement could he effected, and that is in the method adopted in certain of the competitions held at the bienniel demonstrations. A number of these competitions are carried out in a special manner and with special appliances, and not'as they sllolll4' be with both work and gear approaching as nearly as it is possible actual service conditions. These demonstrations, which are most enthusiastically looked forward, to by thje members of the various brigades wuo go through a long course of hard training and practice, attaining a high degree of efficiency, include some competitions wherein the method adopted is quite at variance with the work as carried out in their brigades in actual practice at fires. A. steady improvement is taking place in the discipline drill- and method of work in the large majority of the brigades, and more attention is being paid to that part of ambulance' work essential to fire brigade requirements. Considerable difficulty has been experienced by a number of the fire hoards in obtaining money by way of a loan due to the opinion obtaining amongst prospective lenders that the Fire Brigades Act in its present form does not provide .for adequate security, and' as a consequence there has been, and is, considerable delay in obtaining very necessary equipment and in the building of much-needed fii'e brigade stations. There are installed throughout the fire districts a total number of thirtysix thermostat automatic "fire alarms connected up to the fire stations. Of these twenty-two are in Dunedin. There are several patterns of these aritomatic systems that have reached a (high state of efficiency, and have been the means of saving an enormous amount of valuable property as the result, of giving brigades timely warning of an outbreak of fire, and it is to be regretted that more of these safeguards are not installed ir the large warehouses, departmental stores, etc. During the year there has been a large reduction in the number of fires returned as due to incendiarism, unknown causes, and in unoccupied houses. - is attributed to the more searching inquiry now being made by the superintendents of the various brigades as to the origin of the fires. The losses by fire last year in cases where there was insurance amounted to £103,697. Of this amount £75,708 was covered by insurance. The fire districts that have incurred the heaviest losses are Dunedin and Maori thill, £18,747. The insurance loss throughout the Dominion for the year ending 31st December, 1910, was £392,670. The total loss by fire for the last seven years amounted to the large sum of £3,931,464.