arrangements do not prove entirely satisfactory as in the early stages of fire fighting water restrictions do retard our operations to a certain degree.
24. For a greater part of the year, the weather was extremely dry and in order to conserve the domestic water supply, the Brigade had to make every effort to utilize other available water such as sea water, nullah water, or water from static water tanks, for fire fighting purposes.
25. Salt Water Pumping Stations have been established in various parts of the city of Victoria, and these pumps are operated in the event of a fire for which a salt water hydrant can be used.
26. The 74 static tanks were regularly inspected and main- tained in good condition.
27. In view of the continuous restrictions on water supply, this department continued to advise owners or occupiers of buildings which had private fire service installations fed by street mains to provide roof water storage tanks. As the result of our encouragement and the co-operation of the Public Works Department many of these tanks were erected. They are supplied by well water, and usually have a capacity of 2,000 gallons, which ensures that water is always available for dealing with fires in their first stages.
INSPECTION BRANCH AND FIRE PREVENTION
28. Officers attached to the Inspection Branch made a total of 7,332 inspections of premises of various descriptions during the year under review. Apart from routine inspections in connexion with the administering of various Ordinances, these inspections included "Goodwill" visits and investigations of complaints of the illegal storage of dangerous goods, or of obstructions to staircases or fire escapes, etc.
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