H.—6a

10

duty in the watch-room admitted that he had forgotten to give the reply ring, and upon testing the line the bell was found to be in order. The: first motor passed the post at 8.36'30 p.m., the second (turbine pump) arrived at 8.37'30 p.m., the horsed escape at 8.38'10 p.m., and the twohorsed chemical from Chester Street at 8.38'40 p.m. There were in attendance the Superintendent and fifteen officers and men. The motor pump was got to work from the sump at the same corner, showing water at 5.40'26 p.m. ~',.• "As a result of a second turnout at the Central Station both motors got away in 20 seconds'; " There is an evident improvement in the drill carried, out with both, ladders, but. some parts of the physical drill is still performed in a perfunctory manner. "A false alarm was given the same evening at the Chester Street Station at 9.52 p.m., when the two-horsed chemical was turned out in 1. minute 50 seconds, and the steamer in 3 minutes 6 seconds. "The Sydenham and St. Albans fire-stations were inspected on the 27th; the turnout was satisfactory in each case, and the stations and appliances were found in good order. A great improvement has been made in the utility, &c, of the Sydenham Station by the provision of the set of married quarters " I would again call the attention of your Board to the desirability of placing additional street hydrants —pillar hydrants for preference—in the more congested parts of the city, or at least in the vicinity of the more hazardous block risks. " Whilst in Christchurch I had the opportunity of examining the plans for the proposed new Central Fire-station, and, as pointed out to the Chairman of your Board, I consider that modifications in some instances and rearrangements in others would very considerably improve the efficiency of the building as a fire-station. "I have, &c, " Thos. T. Hugo, " Inspector of Fire Brigades," "Sir,— " 12th April, 1912. "An inspection of the Christchurch Fire Brigade, its stations and equipment, was made on the 25th and 26th March last. " The turnout at the Sydenham Station in the afternoon was not a satisfactory one, the delay being caused by the man on duty not properly understanding what he should have done when called out. "At St. Albans Station there was only one man present, the other permanent man stationed there being absent at the time on hydrant-inspection duty. " At the inspection muster on the evening of the 25th at the Central Station there were present the Superintendent, the Deputy Superintendent, and fifteen firemen... " The motor turbine was got to work from the main in Madras Street; the valves and.screwed inlets for connecting the pump to the mains, and so thereby drawing the water directly therefrom, have not yet been fitted, and the portable dam had to be brought into use, the result serving to accentuate the need of having the connections fitted as soon as possible. The water-tower and ladder escape, as also the motor hose-reel, was got to work, jumping-sheet practice carried out, &c. " It was verv evident during the course of carrying out the various drills that there was an absence of any proper system or organization, and that the men were much in need of a thorough course of drill. "In testing the nozzles in actual service it was found that some of them were badly defective. All the nozzles should be tested, and those found defective replaced. As it is, some new nozzles of intermediate size are required; and, as pointed out on previous occasions, nozzles of a larger diameter than f in. should be used on the first deliveries. When obtaining new nozzles, care should be taken that only those of standard pattern be purchased. " A pressure-gauge should be installed in the watch-room at the Central 'Station, and the water-pressure showing thereon booked in the occurrence-book at stated times, not less than twice in the twenty-four hours; also, upon receipt of an alarm of fire, the pressure then showing should be booked by the man on duty immediately after he has performed his more urgent work. The alternative to the above is to install an automatic recorder. A plan of the water-main reticulation, and periodically brought up to date, should be hung in the station. '.■". " The stations and appliances are maintained in good order and condition. " I have, &c, ' ■"_ " Thos. T. Hugo, "Inspector of Fire Brigades." The plans of the proposed new Central Fire-station are now in the hands of the architects for completion, and the Board propose to proceed with its erection in due course. The City Council are now making improvements in the street fire-hydrant indicators. Although the total number of false alarms received amounted to 150, there has been a large decrease in the number returned as due to maliciousness—44, as against 121 during the previous year. Presumably this is due to a considerable extent to the installation of gongs on the alarmposts in the street. . ...... During the past year the brigade has responded to 256 calls that included 93 actual fires,, an increase of 26 fires when compared with the previous year. The fire loss for the year amounted to £9,345, as against £12,728 for the previous year, a decrease of £3,383. The estimated cost of the brigade for the year 1912-13 is £7,830, as against £6,645 .for 1911-12, an increase of £1,185. The increase in the estimate is due to the purchase of.a site for the proposed new Central Fire-stafion, Arc.