THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 3RD MAY, 1890.
381
7. As to whether or not the Ordinance requires improvement I do not wish to speak positively. I certainly think that a grave obstacle is placed in the way of effectual prosecutions by the inability to use in a prosecution the depositions that have been taken in an enquiry, and one also feels the want of some kind of provision by which upon a formal finding on the part of the Magistrate that the circumstances are gravely suspicious, the Insurance Companies should be thereby prohibited from satisfying claims until they have been made good to the satisfaction of a Court after consideration of the facts adduced at the enquiry.
8. These, however, are matters requiring a good deal of consideration, and I merely refer to them as the impressions which the enquiries leave upon me when conducting them.
9. The year 1889 has been notable as the year in which the Volunteer Brigade was disbanded. In existence before the establishment of the Government Brigade in 1868, they have for many years afforded valuable and willing aid at the numerous fires at which they have been present and they have contained in their ranks the flower of the youth and activity of the Colony.
10. Their disbandment led to an increase in the European element of the Government Brigade, consisting partly of Police and partly of Soldiers recruited from the regiment, and at the same time the Chinese force whose numbers were unnecessarily large was considerably reduced.
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11. In other respects the Brigade has been conducted on the same lines as heretofore. the same Central Station, the same system of alarms and the same general orders with regard to attendance at fires. Such improvements as have been made, have been made in the matter of appliances and in the provision beforehand of every thing likely to be required at a fire, together with rules for their disposition and for the prevention of any interruption in the operations such as by the bursting of hose, the breakdown of an engine, or other ways known to those who have to deal with fires.
12. Although the alarm bell is sounded when assistance is required at Wanchai an arrangement has been made by which only a certain number of the Fire Brigade, who are told off month by month for the purpose, are allowed to go, as it is not desirable that the whole of the Brigade should be absent from the central part of the Town unless absolutely necessary. The alarms continue to be as heretofore one bell for the Eastern District from Wanchai to the Murray Barracks, two bells for the Central District from Murray Barracks to the Harbour Office, and three bells for the Western District.
13. While satisfied that the present system of centralisation of engines and men at the Central Fire Station is necessary under existing circumstances where the men are drawn from the Police Force at the Central Police Station, and have their quarters either there or at the Fire Brigade Station, I am of opinion that the completion of the distribution of water will necessitate a radical reconstruction of the Brigade, and that the proper method for the suppression of fires will be found to lie in a number of small stations placed at a convenient distance apart with hose and other articles ready for immediate use at the outset, steam-engines falling into the background and occupying a subordinate position in the Brigade.
14. I have already had made as an experiment anticipatory to this change of system what is known as "The Fire Despatch-box," the points of which are that it can be worked by one man, and contains all the necessary appliances for dealing with a fire at the outset including three hundred feet of hose, and I anticipate that it or some other contrivance will be spread all over the Town and worked by a system which has yet to be devised when the water works are completed.
15. I have much pleasure in stating that the behaviour of the men at fires has been good, and their attendance regular, and that Mr. CAMPBELL, who fills the important post of Assistant Engineer and is responsible for the proper keeping of the appliances and the general efficiency of the Brigade, carries out his duties conscientiously and with satisfaction.
16. Since the commencement of this year the Brigade has lost the services of Mr. BREWER who I regret to say after a long illness has succumbed to it. He was a very zealous and efficient Officer, and during the absence on leave of the Superintendent in 1886, received a special letter of thanks from the Government for the manner in which he had acted as Superintendent. His place has been filled by Mr. WAGNER subject to the approval of Her Majesty's Secretary of State for the Colonies.
17. I enclose copy of Mr. WAGNER's report on the state of the engines and also a return of fires and alarms of fires during the year 1889.
I have the honour to be,
Sir.
Your most obedient Servant,
The Honourable W. M. DEANE, M.A.,
Acting Colonial Secretary.
"
H. E. WODEHOUSE, ·
Supt., Fire Brigade.
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