The Globe. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 21, 1878.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1513, 21 December 1878, Page 2

The Globe. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 21, 1878.

The result of the conference of delegates of the visiting fire companios hold on Tuesday last, resulting as it did in the formation of an association of the various brigades throughout the South Island for the gonoral promotion of their respective interests, seems to be a first step that properly and energetically followed up promises to bo exceedingly beneficial to the originators of the movement, and not disadvantageous to tho general public. The result of this combination will bo to place the members of it in their truo position, and this it may bo with confidence asserted they have never occupied heretofore. The situations theso bodies occupy at present, in relation to tho general public, seems to be so incompatible with tho rules that gnido overy day transactions that it appears strange tho incongruity was not sooner noticed by the parties suffering from tho worst portion of tho bargain as tho iiremon have undoubtedly been—and stops taken to restore tho balance. At present members of theso companies sacrifice their time, risk lifo and limb in their neighbors service, and receive as their reward tho right to solicit almost as a charity the means necessary to furnish them with material to enable them to efficiently perform thoir alloted duties. Judged by any other standard this inconsistency is immediately apparent. If a mau required to ha\e his grounds cultivated, and a party of volunteer gardinera offered to do tho work speedily and well, on condition that tho owner of the laud found tho tools, the refusal of such an offer would entitle tho refuser to bo considered a tit subject for a lunatic asylum. Yet this is precisely the position the brigades occupy in relation ,to tho Insurance Companies and the govsrying bodies. This is proved by tho statement of Captain Dale who, at t\w conference, e&id " the Dunedin brigade got all they wanted in tho shape of plant, hut it was a fight hotweea the Corpora-

tion and tho Firo Brigade. They had very little help from tho Insurance Companies, only having received twenty pounds from the local agent," and this state of things is not confined to Port Chalmers or Duncdin, it is general throughout Now Zealand, and that it is so is simply disgraceful. Tho remedy is, however, in tho hands of the brigades, who, by firm and united action, can obtain as a right more than they have been in tho habit of soliciting as an alms, viz., an annual grant sufficient to keep their plant in thorough working order, allowing for the acquirement of now and improved appliances, and in addition a sum sufficient to endow amply a sick and accident fund with a provision for widows and orphans in the event of fatal casualties. This grant, based upon a fair assessment of tho insured and uninsured property of tho various towns wherein tho brigades aro organised, should, of course, be furnished pro rata by tho governing bodies and tho Insurance Companies. Suppose those subsidies wore fixed at sixpence per annum upon every hundred pounds worth of property to be protected, the Christchurch Brigade would then bo in receipt of £IOOO a year upon £4,000,000 worth of property liable to be destroyed, and it may be assumed that no one would think this charge excessive, or complain if tho sum so raised should prove insufficient for the purpose at its increase until the requirements of tho case were mot. But whatever is dono, let it be effected in a business like manner, and looked upon as a fair mercantile transaction for the mutual benefit of tho contracting parties, and let tho " charitable aid " feeling be eliminated at once and for ever. To prove the imperative need of tho reform that now promises to bo accomplished, a fact may be narrated that occurred less than three years ago in one of tho Northern towns. Two members of tho local Fire Brigade were engaged in a house to house canvass for subscriptions. In tho course of their work, they accosted a gentleman, who, after due consideration, promised a guinea, but not having tho sum named upon him, requested tho canvassers to call again for it in a day or two. The following day an adjacent tenement was in flames, and tho exertions of tho Brigade saved property to the value of at least eight hundred pounds belonging to the promisor of the twenty-one shillings, who acknowledged the services rendered by sending tho guinea without troubling the canvassers to call a second time. It must bo admitted that a state of things that permits such profuse liberality on the part of individuals requires reducing to a system and that quickly.