HAMPSTEAD AND THE FIRE BRIGADE.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1894, 16 July 1888, Page 2

HAMPSTEAD AND THE FIRE BRIGADE.

TO THE EDITOR. Siß,— B dng a Bijbßoriber to your jonrrial and glanolqg through Its colutbne the other evening I observed » letter headed Hampajiead Town Board and Fire Brigade coats. Jt was, sir, with a certain nmount of ammsement that J read this letter, especially In the parts where the writer refers +o the code of signals, and tho voluntary yet Ignored efforts of the Brigade. In replying to the former I must admit t. Ka ■uagestlon la a good one If It oonld be carried pat m f nrreot manner, that is to say, that it would require tho gervloes of one man to be constantly m alt^ndan'pe to prevent the public from handling the bell at any time auoh aa I have seen done In other parts of New Zealand. Bot the manner In which G. W. Andrews suggests Us forking would ba ont of all reason. My object, nlr, In replying to his letter la to contradict ' the Rftipf tjpna m*da by (he worthy member of the Hamputead Board. , Oor esteeELed frisnd remarks that he is usually Rt all fires. How he gets there remains a problem to me, seeing that by the remarks be makes bis eyesight fails him when be la there. He evidently appears *~to fay very groajb emphasis on : fires namely, slc Hughes and Mrßaylla, In reference to the first named Mr Andrews Assumes the E igad^ finding there was not sufficient water to supply their engine soiled op their hoaa end returned to the shed. I admit they coiled up their hose but as to returning to the shed I give a nrost emphatic denial and challenge the gentleman above named to prove otherwise, than that the Brigade remapped, sir, fully one hoar and a half forking with their hand pomp and bnckt is" laboriously till the 6ro wag extinguished. With regard to Mr Bsyliß'i fire he remar&B that by the time the firemen had v»ter on the danger was all oyer, and attributes the saving of the adjoining bollflipg to a row of trees whioh In a sensible point of view Is a complete faroe. I frankly give m that the water was a short time oomlng to the branch for the simple reason that we had to drive the water through a distance of eightburiilf ed feet of p»ay»s ( and up hill at that. Bat, Sir, It' Would have arrived sooner dad $oae who tt'optj aronb'(J the

fire assisted m placing their hands upon the pamps Instead of jeering at the firemen attempting to force water, Sooh being the case a more speedy result would have been effected. Air Andrews, m visiting the varlnaa fires m his locality, doubtless will remember a fire near the , school a short time ago, and if present, ■ no doubt, he attributes the saving of the adjoining property to a three feet gone and barbed wire fence. To eojae who j would write In the manner that our ! friend has written to the press I abonid feel inclined to write In m re severe tones to them. But »o G W. Andrevra I extend my deepest sympathy, knowing that be h*ils from a town m New Zealand, whioh rejoicea In the affectionate nickname of " Sleepy Bollow." The town to which I insinuate, Sir, (s credited with being witnesses to the following in* oident : In the stillneß3 of night and whilst m cilm repose the fire bells of this town sounded an a 1 arm; In a short space of time the members of that brigade Were to be seen hurrying along m the wildest of excitement, bur at open their imaginary engine shed doon, and dragged forth its contents m a manner that would remind one of the obarge of Tae Light Brigade. When arrived at the firs, to the amusement of the spectators and the horror of the Brigade, they discovered that they had robbed their next door neighbor, an undertaker, of his beaise m mistake for their engine. I should oensnre this noble body for they knew not what they did. In conclusion, Sir, I trust for the future Mr Andrews will always give honor to whom honor is due and not rash into print before being vewed upon a subjeot. A far as I am personally concerned this will now close the correspondence. — I am, etc, An Humble Fibem am. A.F.B.