The Short Title of this Act shall be “The Fire Inspectors Act 1870.”

The Superintendent of any Province or the Chairman of the County Council of Westland may from time to time appoint for any town within the Province of which he is Superintendent or within the County of Westland not being a borough constituted under “The Municipal Corporations Act 1867” one or more persons in such town as he shall from time to time think fit to be called a Fire Inspector or Fire Inspectors for such town.

Every such appointment shall be in writing and shall be published in the Gazette of the Province or County as the case may be and every such appointment may be revoked by the Superintendent or Chairman for the time being if he think fit.

If any such town shall be constituted a borough under “The Municipal Corporations Act 1867” every such appointment of a Fire Inspector shall determine immediately upon the election of a Mayor of such borough.

On the occasion of any fire affecting or threatening to affect any building within such town the Eire Inspector or any one of the Fire Inspectors appointed for such town who may be present may in his discretion take command of any Volunteer Fire Brigade or other persons who place their services at his disposal and may remove or order any fireman to remove any persons who interfere by their presence with the operations of the Fire Brigade or other persons engaged in preventing the spread of fire and generally he may take any measures that appear expedient for the protection of life and property with powers by himself or by any fireman to break into or through or take possession of or pull down any premises for the purpose of putting an end to a fire doing as little damage as possible He may also on any such occasion interfere with the water supply of any district in order to give a greater supply and pressure of water in the district in which the fire has occurred and no Water Company shall be liable to any penalty or claim by reason of any interruption of the supply of water occasioned only by compliance with the provisions of this Act.

All police constables shall be authorized to aid the Fire Inspector in the execution of his duty They may close any street in or near which any fire is burning and they may of their own motion or on the request of the Fire Inspector remove any persons who interfere by their presence with the operations of the firemen.

All damage occasioned by any Fire Inspector or any Fire Brigade or members thereof or any other persons acting under the orders of any Fire Inspector in the due execution of their duties under this Act shall be deemed to be damage by fire within the meaning of any policy of insurance against fire.