HOKITIKA FIRE BRIGADE

Hokitika Guardian, 12 May 1921, Page 4

HOKITIKA FIRE BRIGADE

annual meeting

The annual meeting of the Brigade was held on Tuesday evening. Present Supt. Braddon, Dep. Supt. Davidson, anod 25 members. . The minutes of the previous meeting were confirmed and outward correspondence approved. , s It was resolved to convey to Mr Moore .(Pollard’s Pictures), the appreciation of the Brigade at his kindness in giving a benfi't in aid of. the Brigade, which added a substantial amount to the funds. A letter from Fireman Gibbons notifying his inability to attend practices regularly at present was received and consideration deferred to a later meet-

ing. “i • The Treasurer’s repor.t shewed receipts amounted to £62 18s 6d„ expenditure £59 "s 2d. Cash in .hand £3 11s. 4d, with a liabilty of £6 10s., leaving a debit balance of £2 18s Bd.-Re c eived and adopted., . . REPORT. I have the honor to report that the year, now ended has been remarkably fi-ee from fires, and our work from that cause,has. been light. The Brigade however, has maintained its usual activity in other directions. The fortnightly practice musters have been very well attended,, and so have,fill, meetings.. M e sent a five man team to Napier, to represent us- at the Demonstration lately held in,,that Town. Although pur representatives were not successful , in winning a prize, in several events they occupied a' very honourable position, and as the team was mainly composed of new members, who had no experience in competjtion work before, we must agree their efforts were highly commendable, and I will take this opportunity of thanking the, team on your behalf and of wishing them a greater measure of success in their next attempt. v i, I regret having to record that the senseless incendiary firing of old buildings in the toiyn, has - begun again. When I say senseless firing, I should say criminal firing, for in the last instance where a fire was started just after midnight in Mr McGregor’s old Smithy, the result might very easily have been tragic, for in a small cottage about ten feet distant from the smithy, a respected and estimable old gentleman resides >and lie was not aware of danger until he heard the Brigade playing water on the fire. Now I will ask the orignator of this fire two questions and I hope lie will give the questions due consideration. The first question is what would his feelings be to-day, if this old gentleman had died through suffocation or bv fire. The second question is, if the old gentleman had died from the effects of the fire, would not Hie originator have earned the Brand of Cain. These are solemn questions gentlemen but the gravity of the case demands that I should ask them.

,The question of the water supply T am sorry to say is as bad ns it was over a month ago, and is causing us no small anxiety. From our point of view the position is tin's, there is only one hundred gallons , a minute being delivered into the Reservoir, and ,'n the event of a serious outbreak of fire, we know, that at least we would require two leads of hose each lead using up about, two hundred gallons a minute and as during the greater part of the day there is no reseiwe of water in the Reservoir, to draw from, and only about one foot at night, under these conditions the present supply would soon be exhausted,, and outside of Revell Street and the lower part of Gibsons Quay, and a small area around the well at Mnndl’s corner, the Fire Engines would be quite useless, for there is no available water in any' other part of the town. I understand the Borough Overseer (Mr Millncr) is overhauling the pipe line, and I hope he will re able to find out what is amiss, and so relieve the anxiety we all feel on this subject.

During the coming year a new element will be introduced into our work that is the element of electricity. As it is a most potential element, both for good and evil, and as we are all profoundly ignorant of iis power for evil, ft behoves u.s as Firemen to seek, and eagerly embrace, any and every" opportunity, of obtaining information on this point. I have leason to believe that Air Langford has kindly undertaken to address the Brigade on tin's subject at an early date and I desire to impress upon members the necessity of being present in full force on that occasion.

The sincere thanks of this Brigade are due to the members of the Hokitika Fire Board for the efficient manner in which they perform their duties and also for their kindly and substan tial help which enabled us to send a competition team to Napier. I also wish to thank the 'Board’s Secretary, (Mr Andrcwes) for the unvarying courtesy, and help given to the Officers of your Brigade. In conclusion I desire to thank Depu-ty-Superintendent Davidson for the ready and valued assistance at all tim'e< so freely given, and T also desire to convey to you my appreciation of the same valued and ready assistance tendered by you to the Deputy and myself, also for the continued keenness manifested by you and interest in all branches of our work and this sustained interest is responsible for the high state of efficiency reached by you at present, and makes Brigade duty a very great pleasure to us all. OFFICERS REPORTS. The several officers in charge of gear at the main and sub-stations reported the gear in good order. —Received. VACANCIES, The resignation of Fireman Jacobs owing to his leaving the district was handed in and accepted with regret. It was resolved that P. Ross (first on the list for admission) be appointed to fill one vacancy on the membership There being one more vacancy to be filled, .with two applicants (Messrs Davidson and Harcourt) a draw in the. hat was taken resulting in Mr Hector Davidson being appointed. An appeal was reveeived from the Hamilton Brigade on behalf of the late Fireman Prince who was.... killed while going. to a fire there recently. It was resolved that £1 Is, be donated.

Deputy Supt. Davidson who acted as del gate to the Napier Conference reported on the business done thereat. At

the conclusion he was accorded a hearty vote of thanks for the able manner in which he had represented the Brigade. ELECTION OF OFFICERS. The following officers were re-elected: Superintendent— rMr AY. Braddon. Deputy-Supt.—Mr G. Davidson gecretary-^-Fireman, G. 'Lgkip- ( Auditor—Fireman H. ..Thompson The Supt. and Deputy Supt. returned thanks for the. continued confidence of the Brigade. A vote .of thanks was passed to officers for their services .luring the past year., > j .k.<; :Is £- ?- The roll was then called and the meeting terminated. > r, * «*>