MIRAMAR FIRE BRIGADE

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2170, 8 June 1914, Page 6

MIRAMAR FIRE BRIGADE

STATION OPENED. The Miramar Volunteer Fire Brigade, which commenced with small beginnings two and a half years ago, reached on Saturday afternoon the important stage in its history of being officially installed in a permanent homo in the borough. Tho now liro brigade station for Miramar, which is the gift of tho Mayor of tho .borough (Mr. V. Townsend), in his capacity of chairman of Miramar, Limited, is centrally situated, at the corner of Park Road and Turo Street, and is a very serviceable wooden structure 40 feet long by 1G feet wide. Tho brigade, which has an active strength of 25 meft, is divided into two sections, olio for the Seatoim portion of the borough and one for Miramar proper,' each section having a hand reel. On Saturday, for tho occasion, both reels were housed in tho Miramar station. There was a largo attendance when Mr. F. Townsend, as Mayor of the borough, came forward io officially open tho station. He said that, for tho last two and a half years, the brigade had worked under great difficulties in respect to accommodation for their reels. Their new quarters were not pretentious, but it was a useful structure, and, by the'foresight of'the brigade, it was on the proper site for the main station of Miramar. He mentioned that at the present tinio Miramar was valued at £211,558, so N that it behoved residents of the 1 borough to give the brkado every -assistance. During tho short period of its existence tho brigado had done- excellent service, and there was no doubt that in the future they would bo able to do a great deal better. The Mayor referred in complimentary terms to tho work performed by the brigade, in tho face of a howling northerly gale, at the fire on the previous Monday evening, arid concluded by asking Mrs. Townsend to unfurl the brigade house flag oiv the staff surmounting tho station. This having been done, tho firebrigade station was declared officially open. Tho flag was the gift of Mr. C. E. Wafers.

Mr. C. H; Bowie, on behalf of the fire brigado and residents generally, expressed thanks to Mr. Townsend for his gift to the borough, which was another instance, he said,, of the generosity and liberality of Miramar, Limited. Mr. Townsend, in acknowledging the tribute, handed to tho fire brigade a cheque from Mr. Tait in recognition of the services which the brigado rendered at the fire on Monday night at Boundary Road. Mr. Boon, captain of the fire brigade, having expressed the thanks of the brigade for the donation, called for hearty cheers for the Mayor and Mrs. Townsend, a call which was enthusiastically responded to. A series of hose and reel competitions for members of tho brigado wero then conducted, and were witnessed with interest by those present, the weather being perfect for the occasion. In tho evening, tho opening of the station was further commemorated by a social gathering, at which thero was a large attendance.