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tioned at the time, that the small horn should be placed in a position more convenient for the driver. As the water reticulation has now been extended over the greater portion of the North-east Valley district, I would recommend your Board should erect a small shed in some central position just sufficiently large to house a light reel; equipment to consist of, say. reel, hose, stand-pipe, oouple of light scaling-ladders, &c, and a bell. Four to six men residing in the vicinity should be enrolled as auxiliary firemen. The 80 ft. horsed escape is, I believe, unstable when extended to anything approaching its full height; also, it is very heavy in traction and slow in manipulation —altogether of very little actual service in its present condition —and I would recommend that the second extension ladder be taken off and the fly ladder fixed to the first extension : this should then lighten the moving parts of the escape sufficiently to allow of taking out the intermediate, hoisting gear and probably the elevating intermediate gear also. If that were done the result should provide a serviceable, reliable ladder, fairly light and quick-working, available to a height of about 60 ft. I have, &c, Thos. T. Hugo, Inspector of Fire Brigades. $IR,_- 27th February, 1913. In connection with my recent visit of inspection, I have the honour to forward the following for the consideration of your Board. A parade of the city section of the Dunedin Fire Brigade was held on the evening of the 10th instant, when there were present three officers and twenty firemen; these, with three on leave, accounted for the full strength of the brigade then on the roll. Various practice drills were carried out during the course of the inspection. An inspection of the Caversham and South Dunedin substations showed that some minor details, as mentioned to your Superintendent, required attention. Following upon the amalgamation of the Roslyn Borough with Dunedin City, and seeing that the protection from fire of that district now devolves upon your Board, I would recommend, when finances will permit, that a permanent fire-station be erected at or about the site of the engineshed at present occupied by the Roslyn Volunteer Brigade; the building to include married quarters and accommodation for, say, five or six single firemen, with provision for future enlargement, also a motor appliance to be stationed there. That section of the brigade would then, in addition to protecting the Roslyn district, be quickly available in the case of any serious fire in the city. The suggested site, or one in its immediate neighbourhood, would also be a central and very suitable one in the case of further amalgamations with the city —events that in the natural order of things must be expected in the not distant future. I have, &c, Thos. T. Hugo, Inspector of Fire Brigades Early in the year the Roslyn Borough become incorporated with the city, adding 2,000 acres to its area. That now comprises some 9,300 acres in all. Improvements in the water-service have been carried out in the way of scraping the mains and laying down larger-sized pipes in various parts of the borough. A tender has been accepted for the installation of a new system of street fire-alarms that will comprise twelve circuits having eighty call-points, and considerable progress has been made with the work. A 15 h.p. motor hosetender has been added to the equipment, and I understand the order has been placed for an 80 ft. electric turntable ladder. Very little improvement has so far been made in the fire protection of the South Dunedin and Caversham portions of the city, this no doubt due in a very large degree to the difficulty of finding money for the purpose; but seeing, according to the returns, that one-third of the whole fire loss for the year occurred in the said districts, this part of the scheme should receive the earliest possible attention. In view of the increase in value of the Harbour Board property and the extent to which any disastrous fire taking place there must affect the city itself, it is to be regretted that the suggestions in reference thereto contained in my report to the Fire Board dated 22nd February, 1911, have not yet been acted upon. During the year just ended 135 calls have been received by the brigades : these included seventy-five actual fires, or twenty-six more fires than during the previous year. The fire loss amounted to £18,572, as compared with £22,782 for 1912, a decrease of £4,210. The estimated cost of the brigade for the year 1913-14 is £7,000, as against £6,500 for 1912-13, an increase of £500, due to purchase of Roslyn plant, part provision for purchase of electric ladder, &c. FEILDING. Two inspections of the Feilding Fire Brigade and its equipment have been made—viz., 21st November, 1912, and 7th May, 1913. The two following reports forwarded to the secretary of the Board cover the respective inspections : — Sir, — 27th November, 1912. In connection with my recent inspection of the Feilding Fire Brigade and its equipment. I have the honour to foi-ward the following report for the consideration of your Board : At the inspection muster held at 8 p.m. on the 21st instant there were present the Superintendent, Deputy, fourteen firemen, and one messenger, a total of seventeen out of the full strength of twenty-four then on the roll. Of the seven who were absent, three were on leave and one was sick, leaving three unaccounted for : these latter should be required to explain their absence.