THE OAVERSHAM FIRE AND THE BRIGADE.

Evening Star, Issue 4086, 31 March 1876, Page 2

THE OAVERSHAM FIRE AND THE BRIGADE.

To tfie JSditor. Sm,—l was extremely amused when perusing the Star last evening to find a faint apology-for the Dunedin Fire Brigade’s action re.the Caveraham fire. • “Hydrant,” who is evidently a member of the Fire Bri- ' gade, - says he - was a little annoyed atsthe fob. lowing remarks whichappeared in the fiQaily Times’ :—“ Though odr Fire Brigade wtre .not compelled to attend the conflagration;at Caversham,’ they might have more speedily arrived or remained away altogether.” ' He challenges the truthfulness of the report, but does not (and probably cannot) point Out a single mistake . therein. . seaphmpwledges that i the Brigade were, “» paratively long time getting -to; t the scene of the fire. ”r r Yes; about an hour after the fire broke out and tkoi^aghly l lighted the south-western portion;-of the heavens.. It wasnot till “after the alarm had been sent all the way in from payersham” that the officers “considered' it their duty to rak. the sanction, of 3bP Mayor prior to runniilg . the. gear away outside the municipality!”" Tliefe' was no occasion whatever for the Brigade to wait till the, “alarm was sent from the reflection of the fire could be discerned in almost 'any part of Dimedip. We ore told, in oneJJ journal * that “ one old lady was so much struck w£sk the 'beauty Of the scene that she gazed intently now at the lurid glare of the olazing buildings and then at. the delicately-tinted land-scape-through an opera-glass. If- the Brigade had shown more activity, I would agree with “ Hydrant ” that they ought to be congratulated upon having gone to assist at their own risk, but for Ms plaintive excuse for .tbcir. great delay in starting I sixuply have a icc!Mg‘ of V: ' : r ; Duaedin, March 31: " /Kl

a Ar ■ % |fe material J mismanagement, or m&re-properfyspeakjng, j through attempting too great things with. | too little capital. Some months ago, when ' jin Milton*, he advised the men before 1 appealing to his Honor to endeavor to ‘urry ■wiiHi j to their hands, and he knew otr his own 1 knowledge that they t®wwk out- , 1 side their own. But things were now so. r .dull In

tain employment .They were, however, satisfied that if *&# o6Uld get. assistance, say totihe -extentof JLSQO or L6fto* could he carried on ana they could good >fierviceahJe *ri‘ l ol®?»#f or ‘which there Was . a '•good sdemandi < team© to hfefiondrior advicehmderthtor cur^ ■cumstances. fibnlt portion mth'regafd'to mbheV and r 1 cally. >• , . v His HdNhii t' What about ( difficulties ih regard tomoney.v: \ ( • Mr meant thfet it th»6toVsftrnir»it I was disposed to assist, and had the ( do so, , it. could not without a.yqte., ;’ r | It the ..depnt^oiiflmat | they represented Jijiat (^tamtion (and j .Honor; for* adyipe.Vafdd to* -fee |if he .could render >them iany'aßsistsuxce. J thp wore,' *“ e twFas : ( np proouring-fimfawle nlates-r- ---: dS&iiat i T&oi'e s^fthe'payeoit^^,' [ | eo’ that’ l alretum‘ in^h^^e’hhmcmat^d'ifPa

'couple' brmbnths. -'^A^M* hail been spblten J toutfeke • one to invest LIOO.. ; . • His; • HoNoe thought : the .only way.mit'pf ; <he djffihnfltywarter I to fcakhie l get ip a <&Uapa&v'tb' Bfeni.iai.enal y * }!ii ~' His Hon qr expldpeS. {hat 1 the' ( 'WV&nmeht,if tnfey had'men 3h k piWitibhTOsbend to do so without the sanction^ :

<<] aad ..it,. ful whether; the r flwcthio,- w obtained > to. anything of . the Jkinpw^e felpiWft^ 6 .pP,tisou sehting as they aid/ was a-Very-Serious -one. They might -get employment .aether avocationa,, atL which theyimght.imt ;■ ~Lr* '#aL. * ; Mr pointed but that tup tried’tliw T i^^. stanced one swho.iad gone ** been; “.let in’? ifor tbeTamount-pf ■ l 3ue'rW©£ ea

—1$;» t» uihti i -hij Wl ‘ *. His Honor here remarked thataßthenght had struck him. The men were a colony-of thmiaelyeSi;.:fthd ofWdoU which they m>uld s|!axs settlement. :.' What if the -CteyeiUmeut were to find the land,ahd .to give them . time, to paVfotit? • >l '- v ! - : • . Mr GellUcs • asked his Honor tO bringTiiiß influence to bear with * some, of tim leading capitalists id Dnuedin,’ ‘ i . ' .. . His Honor was afraid Ke had very little mflueime-injhatwfry, • r , muon for the enterpMae I if they were a&aid of risking ItSOO orXfioD (.'against tlm!men^laibbr.-!|. ~ ■ 'His Honor’i The' timerwas When £ would have thought nothing of doming to the ffeacue myself, and would again do so if 1 had the money, because’ X believe the industry* may yet be ( made to pay handsomely. As it m: Ido not knowwhi^td.aayabout..jet*" ’ ; The men said they were. witiiug> if ‘’lthe works wereagainstejrted, to set btf amartof their labor as against an interest ip the concern; contenting .themselves with -dnvjne 25t per Week;, x i . ; -yf After some further discussion,. " <■; r’- .. His Honor cuddi he . .WOtfld "JSBe-'ti .jmy Government, work’ ’jn. the found to give .the men employment, but he dwelt steongly upon the.advi- ‘ sability of theii?' jfettiing •the land in the