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Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3578, 29 December 1882, Page 2

The committee to arrange for the reception of the delegates of the Fire Brigades Association met last night, but little or nothing could be done pending the collection of funds. Without some knowledge as to the probable amount of money there will be to expend in the suitable entertainment of the visitors the committee found itself powerless to act At the last meeting of the Borough Council a letter was read from Mr Cottrill, secretary to the committee, requesting that a grant of money should be made towards defraying the expenses of the reception of the delegates. On the proposal being put to the vote only Crs. Cotton, Margoliouth, and Price supported the motion, and it was consequently lost. We cannot but think that, in a matter of this sort, the honor of the borough is very much in the hands of the Corporation. When the Fire Brigades Association decided upon Napier as the place for holding their annual conference for the year 1883, it was regarded by the residents of this town as a compliment. Wherever the Association have held their conferences the oc.asion has been seized to publicly display the appreciation entertained for the volunteer fire brigades of New Zealand. The delegates arc invariably feted at a banquet, and other hospitalities are shown them, the cost of which in some places has been wholly borne by the Corporation, and in other towns partly by the Corporation and partly, by public subscription. The application for a grant of money, that was made by the reception committee, was extremely moderate, the more so when it is considered that the superintendents of the two local brigades now do for nothing what previously was paid for by the Corporation. On the resignation last March by Mr Kemsley of the office of Fire Inspector a saving of £50 per annum was effected, and we think that a portion ot that amount might well be granted by the Council for the purpose for which it was asked. We understand that the committee will make another application to the Council for pecuniary assistance, and we trust it will meet with better success. In the meantime the public will be solicited for subscriptions.