A Trip to Napier.

Feilding Star, Volume XV, Issue 266, 17 March 1894, Page 2

A Trip to Napier.

(By Standpipe.) After three weeks hard graft at engine practice, which should have beejiJdajee^months for us to^do^any^ , "Ifbod againstf*rfren-4jrht>-lM»pH!ihemselves in regular practice and training, five of us, with Mr Ranger as delegate, took train for Napier, the city of i artesian water and limestone roads. The handsome Lucre shed a farewell and parting tear, but the sight of a hundred and fifty other stalwart firemen " set him up again " and by the time we reached Palmerston, his woes were forgotten. It was a big shake hands all round. We smoked much tobacco in peace until we reached the Mauawatu Gorge which is as beautiful as ever. The southern lads were much struck with it, but I fancy some of them thought more of the splendid water supply going to waste. They will say things when they get home to their weeping relations. At Woodville we met some old faces, with whom we fought our battles over again. A pleasant pastime. Woodville trusts much for her prosperity to the freezing works, and I hope they will not be a disappointment. I do not see why this should not be a more thriving town than it is. Perhaps it is like other places I know of — too many distributers and too few producers. All shops and public houses. We stopped for five minutes at Danevirke where the firemen put up a record for swallowing ginger beer, with and without stingo. No evil consequences followed. This looks a well laid out place and the fine bush country all around it, should be a help to the go-ahead residents to make a town of it fit to " pull the bone for first place " with Feilding. They are going to have gas works or electric lighting in a few months while, I fear, the Feilding folks wont pluck up courage for either within this century. When we arrived at Ormondville we left the bush county, and debouched on the vast plains of the Hawkes Bay province, the lands of the rich few. Rattle and clatter until we pull up at Waipukurau (Oh, Lord, what a name !) where we fill up our tanks with refreshing tea " the cup that cheers (hip, hip, hurra!) but not inebriates" a quotation which uo doubt is somewhat familiar to your readers now the licensing elections are in full blast. We eat much good food, ■ and the way the refreshment counter at the station was cleared of the good things was a caution to a church picnic, and that is saying a good deal. At Hastings we reflected ; oa the great fire which took place there about a year ago, when the few gallant firemen stood to the manual engine while they pumped the sewer dry, but even that strong mixture of "all > sorts " failed to quench the thirst of the greedy flames, which licked up block after block of handsome buildj ings. At about 5.45 in the afternoon we complete our ride of 124 miles and are cordially welcomed at Napier by Superintendent Waterworth, who was • accompanied by a number of brother i firemen, among whom we recognise faces and forms met at Christchurch . two years ago. We were " sorted out " into expresses and sent to our several quarters. We got there safe enough, but, " woe is me," the Daughter of the House barred the door and in tragic tone* said " You cannot enter in, for j. the Wanganui and New Plymouth men have collared all the beds." An i appeal to the boss was made, so th§ f ever ready Mick Moore, after a bit of * blarney, undertook to pack us away in a four man room, and in the apartment set aside for his sons, who pitched a tent for themselves in the back yard. After all the bother was unnecessary, for we could have found lots of accommodation elsewhere if we had only the sense to have gone and f looked for it. However, we got on I better than some of the other visitors, i who, for their sins no doubt, were ' eaten alive with "the plagues that 1 walk in darkness." I won't mention their shorter name, as " thanks be " they are unkown in Feilding, After , a good wash and a square meal we went out to look at the city. The streets were gay with the bright uniforms of the stalwart firemen moving J about. (Private — I am obliged to say this, but really some of the tunics were j awfully shabby, and put on in the . most slovenly way — quite as bad as some of the Volunteers, and that is saying a lot). Altogether we had a good time, and our Chief Masher told me in strict confidence that it was just ) as good as Nelson, where there are four girls to overy one man. That, however, is merely a detail. After swallowing a few icecreams, a novelty and a delight to many of us, we strolled ' along the esplanade, or whatever they J call the structure, and inhaled the I balmy sea breeze which was a " gladj ness and adelight "to us poor mortals i who had lived so long in the back > country of the Manchester settlement. 1 Then "To bed, to bed ; but not to p sleep" (Shades of Lady Macßeth.) ! The New Plymouth men had thought of a way to work the manual engine » in a new style of dress at the coaa- > petition and started to practice in a ' way that made things so lively, that ) the landlady put in an appearance, ' and, with awful threats of diro vengeance, made us ail go to bye-by, like good boys. So o^dpd onr first day. _______—_____———_