More Motor Fire Engines for Australia.
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The head of the Melbourne Fire Brigade, Chief Officer Stein, recently arrived in England, and, in an interview with a representative on Friday, he said one of the principal objects of his trip was to make enquiries with a view to improving the system of the Melbourne Fire Brigade, especially in regard to motor appliances. He stated that several brigades in Australia had motor appliances in use, and that they had turned out well. At Sydney and Brisbane, and in New Zealand, they had been very successful. In Melbourne they had a 6oh.p. petrol-driven fire engine with which he was completely satisfied. Pumping apparatus was fixed to the engine and, on arrival at the scene of the fire, all that was necessary to commence pumping was to turn a switch and thus transfer the power, which had been propelling the engine, to the pumps. Motor salvage vans and ladders were also in use. Most of the motor appliances, Mr. Stein said, were petrol driven, and he added that, in his opinion, the petrol motor had been introduced into Australia "to stay-and the roads would have to be made to suit it." In Melbourne itself the roads were good, being all wood paved, but in some of the suburbs they were very bad and tire troubles were frequent. The brigade's immediate wants in Melbourne were another motor engine and pump similar to that already in use, a motor salvage van and ladders.
Chief Officer Stein has been busily engaged inspecting the various appliances in use by the Metropolitan Fire Brigade, of which he was a member for to years. He will also inspect appliances at Liverpcol and Manchester, as well as those in use at Glasgow and other Scottish and Irish cities. Mr. Stein landed at Marseilles and has seen several of the motor fire engines used in France. He originally contemplated going to Germany, but he finds that most of the German makers have representatives in London, so that this will not be necessary. He has already purchased a 15-2oh.p. IIumber car, which he will take back to Australia with him. This will be used for his visits of inspection to the fifty sub-stations scattered over the Melbourne Fire Brigade area, which is as large as that covered by the Metropolitan Fire Brigade, but is only inhabited by about half a million people. The Melbourne Fire Brigade is the second largest in the British Empire, London, of course, being first. Chief Officer Stein returns to Australia on the 23rd of September.