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Inangahua Times, Volume VII, Issue 1063, 20 March 1882, Page 2

Our attention has been called to the absolute disregard in this town of the provisions of the Dangerous Goods Act, whilst there is no place in the Colony in which they should be more stringently observed for the safety of the lives and property of its inhabitants. There is no Borough Council, it is true, to see I*hat the Act is carried out, but in its absence, the County Council is the governing power and should take that responsibility. The , sixth clause of the measure in question runs as follows: — "No especially dangerous goods and petroleum except ' petroleum to the extent of ten -gallons, kept for private use and not for sale, shall be kept within fifty yards of a , dwelling house, Or of a building in which goods are 'stored, except in pursuance of a license under this act. Any such goods, or petroleum, kept in contravention of this provision, are to be forfeited, and in addition the occupier ' of the place in which they are kept is i to be liable to a penalty of L2O for each day during which they are so kept ! in contravention of the Act." We t have reason to believe that not a single license has either been applied for or granted, and it is certain that the County Council has never exerted iJM self in the matter. The fact remains, however, that large quantities of kerosene are stored in some of the business places of the town, one alone being said to contain 200 eases, or 1,600 gallons. The result of a fire breaking out on these premises can be readily imagined. Should it be that the County Council have neither the power nor the inclination to act, the H esident Magistrate has, and it is hoped for public safety that, on his next visit, the police will bring the matter under his notice. The inconvenience of storing kerosene in a safe depot would be very slight to vendors, while the assurance given to the public would be great As a matter of course, proper provision for such accomodation must be made, but, if done, no excuse re mains, for keeping such a combustible commodity in the middle of a township, i The late hot and dry weather has rendered the timber of the houses very liable to ignition, and too great care cannot be exercised to prevent a repit- i ition cf the disasters fro-n which we •

have so recently suffered. We trust therefore, that some one, whether the County Council or the police matters not, will take steps to mitigating any threatened danger from the source indicated-, by bringing into operation the Act in question.