FIRE BRIGADES’ CONFERENCE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XVII, Issue 1397, 7 March 1905, Page 2

FIRE BRIGADES’ CONFERENCE.

I Per Press 'Associations I Dunedin, yesterday. I The Fire Brigades’ Conference opened I this morning. The Mayor formally wel-' I corned the brigades. He strongly urged! I legislation throwing-the' cost of support 1 equally on the boroughs, the insurance 1 companies, and the Government. Short I addresses were also delivered by Messrs I Tapper, Loudo'n, and Arnold, M.5.R. A" I message was received from the Hon. Mr | Carroll, regretting " his inability to be I present, as he had intended. He said the j Government intended to pave the way I for effective legislation, whioh would pugi I the brigades in a position to oarry out their work more efficiently, and with better results. J; - V- - The Executive report showed that ten. brigades had joined during the year, six'' being connected with- the railways. Ninety-two brigades were now affiliated, the largest number on record. The bal-ance-sheet shows a credit of £409. The? travelling expenses this year were neat&*’ v -~ £l5O in exoess .of the Government, subsidy. ■ .. , '' .

I - Dunedin, .last night. I At the Fire Brigades’ Conference most I of the proposals for amending the rules of I competitions were lost. The secretary; I stated that out of 92 brigades belonging to I the association seven only were not represented. The report .of the committee I stating that the " time was opportune for establishing a New ZealanqK section of the British Fire Prevention Committee was unanimously adopted. A draft of the Fire Brigades Bill was dis- ■ cussed at length. Borne exception wes taken to clause 10, which gave the Gov'-" ernment the right to veto estimates of fire boards and submitting balance-sheets to Parliament. Mr Arnold, M.H.R., by request, addressed the conference. He suggested that the conference should pasa-it resolution which did not bind them down

;o every word in the Bill, and backit'up by appointing representatives to give evi- ' dence before _-a Parliamentary committee. It was then unanimously resolved that tharconference approve generally of the draft, and a Fire Brigades Bill committee was appointed to convey to Sir J. G. Ward the association’s opinion of the Bill. It was - decided to hold the next conference i& Nolsod. The following oQicors were ap. V, nointed:—President, Captain Toomey,T Lyttelton ; vice-presidents, Captain Bellringer (New Plymouth) . and J. Battle ? secretary, Superintendent Gilberd (reelected) ; auditor, F. W. Garner In connection with the fire brigades’ demonstration a torohlight procession through Princess streets took place this evening add was a picturesque v sight. An enormous,crowd gathered irT’? the streets, the night-being fine. About .five huudred firemen took part in the procession, all the gear of ttoi local brigade r being utilised. There were\ six bands, a | number of ex firemen, and carriages with. I the Mayor and Councillors, ancs membf lof the demonstration committee. brigades will be entertained to morrov

a picnic, and on Wednesday the n r tion commences.