FIRE BRIGADE PRESENTATION.

Globe, Volume V, Issue 524, 22 February 1876, Page 3

FIRE BRIGADE PRESENTATION.

The presentation to foremen Roberts and Piper of certificates of merit for long service, and also long-service badges to several members of the brigade, took place last night at the Fire Brigade Hall, Lichfield s reet. 'There was a very large attendance, including .several members of the fire police, the members of the brigade, the members of the City "Council, ex-mayors, and officers of the Coun- • cil, &c. A very capital spread had been provided *by the fire brigade committee, and the tables •were prettily decorated with pot plants, and the room with flags. In the absence of his Worship the Mayor, x who was detained in Timaru, the chair was 'taken by Mr T. D. Jones, chairman of the •fire brigade committee, supported on his •right by his Honor the Superintendent, Mr Superintendent Harris, Crs Ick and Thomson, and on his left by Mr W. M. Maskell, 'Provincial Secretary, Captain W. R. Mitchell ',(fire police), Messrs W. Wilson, A. Duncan, •U. P. Jameson, and H. Sawtell (ex-mayors). ■After partaking of the very excellent spread •provided, the .chairman read the following telegram ifrom his Worship the Mayor :—" I iamtscrry I cannot accept the invitation of tfhe fire brigade committee for this evening. Please convey to retiring members, and to the brigade generally, my best wishes and thanks for their past services, and ray regret that I cannot be present." He also would read a telegram from Mr Foreman Roberts, who was to have received a certificate, rei gretting his inability to be present. [Read.] The chairman then gave the usual loyal t toasts, which were duly honored, as also was rthe health of his Excellency the Governor, v. the latter toast being received with cheers. -Crick proposed " The :> Army and Navy, rand Volunteers," though hardly understanding why he had been selected to do eo. He lhad, however, been a member of one of the ■oldest volunteer corps in New Zealand, in the province of Otago, which had produced ■some of the most celebrated shots in New He was of opinion that the Go"vernment should encourage the volunteer imovement, because he believed thej would lbe found to be of use when required. It was "not necessary for him to say anything as to the Army and Navy, as their deeds were written on the pages of history. He would therefore simply ask them to drink the toast, coupled with the names of Captains Bird and •Hawkes.

The toast was drunk amid cheers. <Captains Bird and Hawkes briefly responded. Dr -Foster rose to propose the toast of the M Ministry and Members of the House of Representatives." Though politics were tabooed, he might say this, that they were only too glad to give their public men credit .for,doing the best they could, whatever side -of the House they might be found on. Other colonies, particularly Victoria, with her Stonewall policy, might with advantage take a lesson in representative Government from . New Zealand. He would couple the toast ■with the name of his Honor the Superintendent. I. Cheers. J The toast was drunk amid loud cheers and musical honors.

His Honor, who was loudly cheered on rising, said that his friend Dr Foster was a living example of the improvement in talking machinery. [Laughter. J There was, hs "believed, however, no man who took a greater interest in the politics of the country than Dr Foster. [Hear, hear I He regretted that the" Hon Mr Richardson was not pre*ent,'but he said this, that whoever held the bi'gh and honorable office ot a Miniate* tsfa*

entitled to the greatest consideration and respect. There was nodoubtthat Mr Richardson was a hardworking and painstaking Minister. For himself, he was on the other side of the House, but he trusted that the time would never come here when, as had been said by Mr Higinbotham in Victoria, one side climbed into power on the blighted reputation of the other. He looked forwaid to the next session as one of hard and difficult work, without any very satisfactory result, but he felt this, that the people of Canterbury would never regret having chosen him as one of their representatives. ["Cheers] The people of Canterbury had always had kindly consideration for their public men, and he could assure them that he would go into the Assembly to do his duty to the utmost. ["Loud cheers.] Mr Maskell also briefly replied, saying that he thought it was a refined species of torture on the part of Dr Foster to ask a man who had tried to get into the Assembly and failed to respond to the toast of that body. [Cheers.] Mr W. Wilson rose to propose " Hia Honor the Superintendent and the Executive." The great progress made by the province during the past few years was, he contended, due to the careful and wise administration of his Honor and his advisers. [Cheers ] The toast was drank with three times three and musical honors.

His Honor, who was warmly received on rising, said that at the present time the Superintendent and his Executive were thought to be in the position of Mahomet's coffin. He did not know whether it was so ; but he felt this, that there was no body of men who deserved so well of their fellow citizens as the Fire Brigade, and Mr Superintendent Harris and his men deserved all praise for the able and quiet manner in which they had worked. During the time he had been SuDcrintendent he (Mr Rolleston) had heard nothing but praise of the able way in which the work had been carried out by him and his men. This was an exemplification of what could be done by self-government, coupled with discipline. He was glad to be present that evening, to show the respect he felt for a body of men who had done their duty so well as the fire brigade had. [Loud cheers.] Mr Maskell also briefly responded.

His Honor the Superintendent rose to propose the next toast, ''The Mayor and City Council." [Cheers.] The present Mayor had, he thought, deservedly won the respect and e3teem of his fellow-citizens—-[cheersj—and they also had as good a Council as ever presided over the affairs of the city. He regretted the absence of the Mayor, but he felt sure his efforts to serve the city would be appreciated as they deserved. [Cheers.] He would couple the toast with the names of Crs Hawkes, Ick, a".d Gapes Crs Ick, Hawkes, and Gapes, acknowledged the kind manner in which the toast had been proposed and responded to. Mr Maskell proposed " Ex-Mayors and exCity Councillors," coupled with the names of Messrs W. Wilson, J. Anderson, A. Duncan, H. Sawtell, B. B. Bishop, W. Calvert, and M. B. Hart.

The toast was drunk with cheers, to the music of "John Brown's body ließ mouldering in the grave." Messrs W. Wilson, A. Duncan, J. P. Jameson, H. Sawtell, and W. Calvert responded to the toast, speaking in the highest possible terms of the efficiency of the Fire Brigade. The former gentleman mentioned that the ex Mayors had agreed to present to the Fire Brigade their portraits, as a memento of the connection which had existed so pleasantly between them, and also as a mark of the appreciation of the services of the brigade felt by the ex-Mayors of the city. The chairman then rose to propose the next toast, " The Superintendent of the Fire Brigade and the Brigade." He did this with great pleasure, though regretting the absence of his Worship the Mayor, as he had during the greater part of his connection with the City Council been a member of the fire brigade committee. The great efficiency of the Fire Brigade was due to the able manner in which the Superintendent of the Brigade had discharged his duties, and the hearty manner in which bis men had worked under him, making the Brigade second to none in the colony. He would also ask Mr Superintendent Harris to request the recipients of the certificates and the long service decorations to step forward. The toast was drunk with enthusiasm, The testimonials to Foremen Roberts and Piper were then presented to them, the former being taken by Mr Superintendent Harris to be forwarded to him.

The wording of the testimonials is as follows :

"This is to certify that Mr John Roberts joined the C.V.F.B. in October, 1869, was promoted to branchman in 1870, and to foreman in 1871, in which office he served first with the hand engine ' Dreadnought,' then with the steam engine ' Extinguisher,' afterwards with the steam engine ' Deluge,' until removing from Christchurch in 1875. In each of the companies he won the esteem of all the members as a good and diligent officer."

" This is to certify that Mr Joseph Piper joined the C.V.F.B in 1871, was promoted in 1874 to foreman in charge of the Extinguisher comoany, in which he served until January, 1876, when he resigned by direction of his medical adviser. He retires with the goodwill of all the brigade, and with the hope that his health may soon improve that he may be enabled shortly to rejoin his former comrades."

The testimonials were lithographed by Mr N. Wolfe, and are surmounted bj the Royal arms, having on each side a spirited drawing of firemen performing their duties. In the centre the seal of the colony appears on one side, and that of the city on the other, having a fireman's helmet and axe below. The bottom of the certificate has a representation of a steam fire engine on one side and a burning building ou the other, surmounted by the motto of the brigade—" Always ready." After the presentation of the certificates, badges for long service were preser ted to the following members of the brigade :—For seven years' service—W. Johnston, H. C. West, J. Heath, E. Ashby, G. Cooper, J. R. Triggs, and J. Johnston. For five years' service—G. Fuller, W. B. Hobbs, H. Childs, E; Turton, 0. Samuels, A. Doran, and J. Burbury. The badges for seven years' service consist of two silver stripes worn on the right arm ; for five years', one silver stripe. Mr Superintendent Harris, who, on rising, was warmly received, said he felt proud of his position as head of so fine a body of men as those present that evening, and that the Council had done honor to some of the best and ablest men o| the brigade, They had recently had t lwga fire to the city which

had awakened the attention of the citizens to the necessity of increased water supply, of which the brigade had been mindful for many years. Until increased water supply was given to them the brigade could not so efficiently perform their duties as they wished. The growth of Christchurch now pressed upon him the thought that the matter of fire pievention would soon get beyond the City Council, and he thought would have to be taken over by the Drainage Board. He thanked them very heartily for the way in which the toast had been drunk. Foreman Piper, in a very good speech, returned thanks for the honor done him by the Fire Brigade committee. Foreman H. C. West also spoke, urging on employers of labour the necessity )f allowing their employes to go to fires. Firemen Cooper and Hobbs also responded. Mr Superintendent Harris proposed—" The Fire Brigade Committee," speaking highly of the support afforded to the brigade by them. The toast was drunk with enthusiasm. The chairman, in responding, said that the City Council had a plan for a new fire brigade station on Oxford terrace, affording improved accommodation for the men of the brigade. He also on behalf of the brigade would ask his Honor the Superintendent to follow the example of the ex-Mayors and give them his portrait. [Lod cheers.] He also hoped his Honor would also present them with a fire brigade at the Railway station, f Cheers '| Crs Thomson and Schmidt also respouded Cr Thomson proposed the " Insurance Companies," coupled with the names of Messrs Fowler and J. A. Bird. The toast was drunk with enthusiasm. Messrs Bird (L. L. and G.) and Fowler (Standard) -responded, the latter gentleman expressing his intention to make a donation of books to the Fire Brigade Library. Cr Gapes proposed the " Fire Police," coupled with the name of Capt Mitchell, speaking in high terms of the services rendered by that body. Captain Mitchell responded. Cr Hawkes proposed the next toast, that of " The Press of Canterbury," which was duly responded to by Mr Hart. The toast of " The Ladies," proposed by Mr J. A. Bird, aud responded to by Mr Murray, and " Th« Chairman," proposed by the Superintendent, closed the toast list, and the company dispersed at an early hour.