FIREWARDEN'S REPORT. 51 



With a far larger volume of responsibility fixed, the cases 

 have been much fewer in which unsatisfactory preliminary pre- 

 paration of the matter by the local wardens has demanded 

 further investigation. This and the use of motor vehicles have 

 enabled the division wardens to give personal attention to most 

 of the more dangerous fires and to assist more effectively in 

 enforcing a strict observance of the fire law. A summary of the 

 year's activities is given in Table VI, which shows improvement 

 in every respect over the records of previous years. 



WARDENS' CONFERENCES. 



In the late winter and early spring a new step in developing 

 the local fire service was taken by calling a conference of local 

 firewardens in each of the divisions. Despite uniformally bad 

 weather, these four meetings brought out a large attendance 

 and awakened an interest among the firewardens far beyond 

 that anticipated. The value of these gatherings is measured by 

 increased personal activity among the wardens, by firmer and 

 more widespread co-operation between neighboring wardens, 

 by closer attention to detail in investigating and reporting 

 fires, and by a more thorough appreciation of the larger prob- 

 lems in the solution of which each local service plays its part. 

 The result has been a more effective, independent and publicly 

 recognized organization than we have ever had. 





