THE GLOBE. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 9, 1882. THE DIVERTED DONATION.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2706, 9 December 1882, Page 2

THE GLOBE. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 9, 1882. THE DIVERTED DONATION.

We are glad to notice that the Fire Brigade have expressed their opinion pretty strongly oa the injustice done them by the City Council in appropriating half the donation forwarded by Mr. Rhodes. The paailioa taken up by the Council in defence of their action, is, to say the least of it, quite untenable. So far as wo can understand it (he reason for departing from the usual rule and appropriating what, does not belong to them is as under. The Council had determined to consider the whole question

of the Brigade attending firea outside | the city just prior to the one occurring at Elmwood. The whole matterj was in a chaotic state, nothing definite having been determined upon, except that it was desirable to make a charge to each local body within whoso boundaries the fire occurred for the use of the plant. So far “so gord, and the proposition is one which wo still hold ought to bo carried out. But it has not yot been agreed to; no scale of charges has been fixed, nor has any local body been asked to contribute. But what do the Council say under those circumstances ? An exceptionally large donation— not more in comparison to tho means of the donor, by the way, thau a £5 note to others—comes_ along, and by a misconception, instead of being directed to the superintendent of tho Fire Brigade, is sent to the Mayor. Immediately tho very gentleman, who only a few days before had, with a flow of eloquence only equalled by Canterbury’s greatest living orator, been declaring that his sole object in life was to advance tho interests and welfare of tho Fire Brigade, recommends that half the donation shall bo confiscated to pay the wear and tear of the plant as proposed in tho scheme, which is yot in embryo. Let ns jnst point out tho very illogical reasoning of our friend. In tho first place, apart from the meanness of the matter, even supposing a regulation were in force charging for the use of the plant outside tho city, it would not, as we have before pointed out, be payable by the individual, but by tho local body, who is receiving the rates of the district, and therefore charged with the duty of fire prevention. Any donation which the individual liked to give, as in this case, to the Brigade would be quite outside the settled charge as between the two public bodies. This would be the posi- | tion even were it an ascertained arrangei ment that a charge should be made, j But the matter is still, as already pointed I out, in statu quo, and it is by no means certain—though it may be probable—that tho Council will adopt the scheme proposed. Under these circumstances tho Connell, it appears to us, have made a mistake, and it having been clearly demonstrated to them that such is the I case, no doubt they will retrace their ; J stops. There is a quaint conplot, supj posed to have been composed in ancient | days by a reflective appropriator, to | which we would direct the attention of j the chairman of the Fire Brigade Com- ; mittee. It is as follows :

“ Him wot takes wot isn’t hisn, When he’s cotched he goes to prison.” Of course we mean the couplet to apply in a strictly Pickwickian sense as regards the conversions, but it does seem a pity that the entente cordiale, which was so long subsisted between the Council and the Fire Brigade should be disturbed without any reason for so doing. The Brigade naturally feel agrieved that, on a sudden, and without a word of naming as to any alteration, a part of what was justly theirs, is diverted from its destination. Now that the position has been put clearly before them, we feel cor tain that the Council will retrace the step they have hastily, and wo believe somewhat thoughtlessly, token, and that after next Monday’s meeting wa shall have the pleasure of announcing, that in the words of Artemns Ward, “ all is peas,” and that the lion represented by Or. Hiorns has lain down with the lamb in the shape of the Fire Brigade.

THE COMING HOLIDAY.

At the risk of being considered pertinacious we would once more urge upon those having the matter in hand to consider whether it would not bo advisable to change the day of celebrating the 16111 December from Saturday to Monday. We do so with every wish to see the holiday a complete success, and one which all will be able to enjoy. If the Saturday is adhered to there will be, as wo before pointed out, a number of people who will not have a chance of recreation on that day. The closing will not, spite of all that may be said to the contrary, bo general, and the result will most certainly be the reverse of successful. It will not, as has already been urged, make one straw difference to cither the Caledonian Society or the Popular Sports Association if their gatherings are held on Monday, except that the attendance will be larger, but they will be put is no inconvenience whatever. Hence we are unable to understand the ! opposition in some quarters to the proposed change. On the one hand wo have the only day on whioh trades people do ; any appreciable amount of business perI force a holiday ; a number of employes are : obliged to remain in the shops, though it | is said all will close. On the other hand, a ! day on which all shops could close without detriment and allow an oppcrtnnitv to the people who are cooped up forlonghonrs to enjoy one day’s relaxation, is lost. The fact is Mrs. Grundy is too strong for many of tho shopkeepers. In their hearts they would like to seo the Monday holiday, and many of them will, on the quiet, keep open on Saturday, but it is respectable to lisioa to tho request of so important an official ss tho Town Clerk, and so they say yes, hut very unwillingly. It would bo far better for these gentlemen to ssy openly and at once, “ No, Saturday is our harvest. Wo cannot close then, but we will cheerfully shut up on Monday.” Even now it may not bo too late. We feel sure that, if a canvass were made of the city, two-thirds of the tradespeople would bo ia favor of Monday as the holiday.