RIVAL FIRE BRIGADES.

Evening Star, Issue 3744, 22 February 1875, Page 3

RIVAL FIRE BRIGADES.

Wc quote from the ‘Post’s’ account of the case in the Wellington Police Court, in which Lewis Hors, captain of the Central Volunteer I 4 iie Bng.ule, and James Jenkins, branchmp.n of the same brigade, were charged with assaulting Archibald Whiteford, captain of the Wellington Fire Brigade, and fire inspector for the district of Te Aro, It appeared that a recent fire in Wellington was extinguished by the City or Wellington Brigade, who arrived on the spot twenty minutes before the Centrals. The latter, however, set their hose to work cm the Dace where the fire had been. One of the Wellirgton Brigade’s hose still was play ing at if i^v 0 ’ was “ereiy because of a sight, disarrangement of the hydrant, which prevented the water being turned off at once. It was admitted that possibly some of the spray from this jet, which was playing on the bushes, might have reached one or two members of the othex" brigade, who were hidden by the shrubs and the hill ami were quite out of sight from where the Wellington men were standing. Branchman Jenkins, however, apparently deemed tins alight sprinkling done cl malice afoiethought, and accordingly directed his own

branch full on Captain Whiteford, who remonstrated with Captain Moss, and the latter diected his subordinate to .desist. Whiteford ! hon pointed cut to Moss that the fire was quite out, and tint therefore it was unnecessary to go on playing. Captain Moss, regarding this as a paltry attempt to prevent him and his gallant followers sharing the glory of the victory, promptly flew into a furious rage, ami commanded Branchman Jenkins to open fire (or rather water) on this scorner of the Central Brigade, which command the valorous Jenkins obeyed with such good will that Whiteford was drenched to the skin. He at once summoned 0 .’ vcrS: wh .° exclaimed with one accord, Captain, we will follow thco to the death/' or words to that effect. Tie counselled peace, and in the end the threatened flow of—water was averted. Captain Whiteford stated positively that the fire was quite out before the rival brigade came up, and that he had given orders to pack up. He denied distinctly that he ever hud given such an order as “Up guards, and at ’em.” His men had their axes when they came up at his call, but that was because they had been using them just before. Mi lra\ers corroborated Whiteford’s statement, adding that lie ordered Moss and his men off his ground in consequence of bis mi-conduct. Moss could not have mistaken White"o ’d for a dame on account of bis. red uniform. Lieut. rolle5 r expressed his opinion that Captain Moss was utterly unfit to be in charge of a fire brigade from his behaviour- mi that occasion, adding that they were gentlemen in the Wellington Brigade, and would not have obeyed Captain Whiteford even if he had ordered them fco pump on Moss. Thomas Tolley, assistant branchman in Lie Wellington Brigade, said he v: as very anxious to give it the Centrals for drenching their captain, but the latter would not allow him. (For the defence, several witnesses said that when the Centrals came up they were drenched by the water from the Wellington Brigade men, who were cm the other side of the hill, and that, therefore, thei retaliate,d, against the orders of Captain Moss wlio tod them to desist. The Wellington Brigade men persisted in directing their jot where no fire was, although they knew the other brigade was there. in fining too defendant -10s and costs, which mounted up to Ll2, Mr Crawford, IBM , •mid *He was well aware feuds between tintwo Bngaues did exist, and were of very long standing. They were somewhat in the Capulat and Montague style, so that an accidental snove, or a word, from one brigade, might be construed by the other as a direct and intentional affront. This feud had gone on, increasing continually until at length it had culminated in the circumstance which led to the case now before the Court. The whole dispute was a subject for much regret.”