FIRE BRIGADES.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16146, 26 February 1918, Page 3

FIRE BRIGADES.

4 ANNUAL CONFERENCE. I (tress association- telegram.) j TAURANGA, February 25. j Ono hundred and ten delegates from i all parts of the Dominion are assembled | here for the thirtieth annual confer- | once of the United Fire Brigades' Assoj ciation of New Zealand. This morning the conference opened at 9 o'clock. The president, Mr ft. P. Mean, of the Addington Workshops, in his opening addrivs, welcomed the delegates and expressed pleasure at meeting delegates from the Westfield, Whanga- ! rei, Woodhaugh, and Woolston Bri- ; gados, which had joined the Association | uuring the year. Foreman J. R. "Wilson (Milton) was appointed minuie secretary, and after | calling the roll the meeting adjourned I ior ftvo minutes out of respect to | i !u' memory of comrades who had fallen in action. The Roll of Honour showed thai 1313 members had enlisted, lo_had been killed, IS3 wounded, sind 107 invalided. Two were prisoners of ar -. Two had won Lhi* Distinguished Service Order, three Distinguished Conduct Medals, thro? Military Crosses and 15 Military Medals. There was a to:rplus of assets ovo r liabilities of £47<3 19s 9d. The balancesheet snowed receipts £'1739 4s Sd, ineluding £4-io 7s Id brought forward, and £300 Government subsidy, and expenditure £1318 133 7d, leaving a credit balance of £421 Is Id. Following the passing of a resolution affirming the principle that insuranco companies should contribute to the upkeep of all brigades, whether under fire boards are not, tho Conference passed the following resolutions:—(l) That tho Fire JDrigadcs Act be amended to provide that the constitution of fire boards be: Ono representative each from the Governjpnt, the local governing- body, and the insurance companies, and one to be elected by tho fire brigade." "(2) Contributions to the upkeep of volunteer brigades to be based on capital value; provision to be made for unimproved value ratings; and that all brigades outside the present Act receive tho benefits of tho amended Act. "(3) Contributions to bo equally shared by th 0 Government, the local governing body, and the insurance companies. "(4) Payments of contributions to be subject to a certificate of proficiency issued by the Government Fire Inspector.

"(5) All contributions to bo assessed and paid to the brigades through the board's secretary. Ordinary dues by the Association to be a legitimate charge in tho annual assessment for the maintenance of brigades, and provision- to be made in the Estimates to provido means of recreation for members of brigades, and ' for payment of expenses of members of brigades attending any demonstration or conference of the Association. . "(7) On the formation of a board in a district where the plant is owned by tho brigade, valuation to be made, and made a charge upon tho board; the money to be paid into a separate account controlled by the brigade; such moneys to be expended for the benefit of the brigade. Where the local body owns the plant, the same steps ar e to be taken as provided in the present Act. "(8) Tho appointment of the chief officer and the second officer to be subject to the approval of the board. A majority of the board may, for good cause, determine any such appointment, provided that any technical disputes may bo enquired into by the Government inspecting officer. "(9) In cases of dispute on technical matters between tho board and the officers, or any dispute as to the efficiency of the brigade, .tho matter may be enquired into by the Govornment inspecting officer, who shall report to tho Minister, whose decision shall be final. "(10) The Estimates for the year to be submitted , to the Minister for his ; approval before coming into force, such estimates to include all capital expen- ! dituro or loans for that purpose. •'(11) Authority to be given to make by-laws for the government of brigades. "(12) Failing the Fire Brigades Act not being amended as outlined, tho Government to be asked to amend the Municipal Corporations and Counties Acts,- with a view to compelling insurance companies to contribute to the support of all brigades." The Confercnco also passed the following resolutions:-^ By the Rangiora Brigade:—"That the 'Municipal Corporations and Counties' Aci.s be amended, giving the cbiel officer or a brigade the same powers as are cxercised at present under those Acts by the Inspector of Buildings." Bv the Hastings Brigade:—"That oxygen and ammonia cylinders be classed as dangerous goods, and users bo cornpolled to notify brigades of their positions on premises." Various increases in the cost of' goods supplied by the Association were agreed

to. A motion by tho Akuroix Brigade, that conferences or demonstrations be held in tho middle or at the end ot March, was defeated, as also was a motion by the Wanganui Brigade that representations be mado to tho Government for the-exemptiou of all activo firemon in the Dominion lrom military service.

Somo of the strange Eastern crowd which watched General Allenuy enter Jerusalem must have lerueinuered a very different scenc nearly £0. years before, when the ii.aiser stopped there ovi his tour of the Neur East. The British commander, mindful of the physical limitations of the narrow, winamg streets and recalling the custom of tno old Crusaders, walked on foot througu tho gate, attended by his staff and tli'o military attaches—our own among thom. The lvaiser did nothing of the sort. Although Jerusalem is no place for carriages, ho insisted that it '->« made ono. As the Jaffa gate was much too narrow for the Imperial cquipagu, a part of the wall was torn down to make sufficient room. The German idea of government io to impose an alien "kuitur" -on other people. The British never make any such, attempt. They inspect native customs and remove their shoes at the door of mosque.