PAEROA FIRE BRIGADE.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVII, Issue 5058, 29 November 1926, Page 2

PAEROA FIRE BRIGADE.

ANNUAL SOCIAL EVENING. Following a custom that was inaugurated early in the history of the Paeroa Fire Brigade, the annual social evening was held on. Saturday night in the Hall. There was a large gathering of neighbouring firemen and prominent citizens. The chair was taken by Mr F- E. Hatt, chairman of the local Fire Council. The evening was passed most successfully amidst smoke, stories, songs, and toasts, a,nd the doings in connection with the local brigade for the past year, were unfolded. After the toast of “The King ’ had been duly drunk with musical honours deputy-Captain Pratt, of the Thames Fire Brigade,.proposed the “Fire Brigades’ Association of New Zealand. This was no small body, he sted. From his long connection with fire brigade work he was able to say thatfire brigades had much to thank the association for, and it was wonderful the amount of enthusiasm that the association, through Secretary Whitts, put into the brigades. They arranged travelling concessions, and also free etrain passes, to the annual .tournaments. He thought that the Paejoa brigade was to be congratulated on its efforts. Personally he was very pleased to see the progress made during the last year. The speaker said that the members of the brigades throughput New Zealand were very proud of Secretary Watts, who was most prompt in his correspondence, and they all felt that they had indeed a friend to be proud of.

The toast was drunk enthusiastically, and on rising to reply on behalf of the association Secretary Watts was received with loud applause. He expressed, his pleasure at being able to visit Paeroa and meet his old fire brigade friends. He always felt at home when in Paeroa,. particularly with Captain Moore. His visit had two purposes, firstly to pay his respects to Paeroa and secondly to in-' spect the brigade and equipment. He was. proud to see the advancement made in the'equipment of the Paeroa Fire Bi-igajde. and the splendid station that, had been erected. The brigade had given him ample proof of its ability and efficiency, and he could only say that his report would be a favourable one. There was, he continued, no better citizen in any town than the fireman. This year the association had exceeded the subsidy given by the Government in going to Invercajrgill, and as they could not meet the expenditure for the demonstration at Gisborne a levy of £2 for fares had to be made. ; The association was for,ced .to do this, as it had been plainly told that the subsidy could not be increased. All rightthinking men would agree with ■ it. The association was doing good work, and in regard to electricity they were endeavouring to hbjve . .the switchboards outside the buildings. He instanced a case of a fireman meeting with shocking burns through coming in contact with a wire in a burning building. Afterwards it -.was Sound that there were two or. three switchboards in a building, which meant that firemen were subjected to very great danger. H© looked forward to the time when all switchboards, would by regulation be placed outside the building. He was pleased ,to see the harmony and goodwill existing between the surrounding fire brigades and also to see such a representation of business men present. It savoured well .for the prosperity'of the brigades when they were so well backed up by the local authorities. He sincerely hoped that, some good would come of his visit to Paeroa that day. In proposing the toast of “The Paierda Borough Council” Mr P. "Williams said he considered that council’s first duty was to. see that everything possible was done for the fire brigade, because the safety of the town depended upon the brigade being properly equipped. He was pleased to say that the Paeroa Borough Council had realised the position and had brought the equipment right up-to-date and was trying to do its best for the whole community.

The Mayor, in responding, said that he was pleased to say that during his tour years, as Mayor something of a substantial nature had_been done f<>r the fire brigade. The council, he assured the brigade, was very sympathetic towards it, 'ajnd was ably backed up by the residents. Paeroa now had bn© of the best equipped brigades in the province. It was a pleasure for the council to do it, as the councillors recognised that the firemen were useless without adequate equipment in the case of fire. At any time the firemen might be called out tp face death, and it was only right that they should be properly provided with th© best equipment, since they rendered their services without looking for ajrityhing in return. He assured the assembly that the present council, arid also future councils, would always have a soft spot for the local volunteer fire brigade.

In proposing “The Business Men df Paeroa” Captain Moore said he thought it was the most important toast of the evening. It wasi-through them, with Jthe support of the Borough Council, that the brigade was placed in its present proud position. The brigade was doing its best tor th© town in return tor the help that had always been given. He considered that th© business people, had done better for the brigade thejn any town in New Zealand. They w©re equipped with everything of the best, and the gear was all standardised. The ■Orphans’ Club had done yeoman service, and he was sure that the support accorded by th© business people would be continued. The brigade would at least endeavour at all times to show its deep appreciation for what the business people and council had done for it.

In responding, the dbputy-Mayor. humorously said it seemed to him that the brigade had got everything it wanted except a fire. In the past the brigade had always done its best, ajnd the business people were with it in the endeavour to protect the town. Messrs. E. A. Porritt and H. J. Hare also responded on behalf of the business people, and congratulated the

brigade, with Captain Moore at the heajd, for the work it had done. The health of Dr. Smith,'Who had. been honorary surgeon for the brigade for 26 years, was heartily dr.unk. In proposing the to®st Captain Moore paid a high tribute to the wOtrk the doctor had performed for members of the brigade, and also to the fact’that when a fire occurred the doctor was always present to assist in case of accident. The doctor suitably replied. Th© toast of “The. Visiting'Eirenien’’ was proposed by the Mayor responded to by deputy-Captain Pratt (Thames), who said that he always looked forward to coming to Paeroa, and was more than pleased to hear of the assistance given to the brigade by both the business people apd Borough Council. He had seen the new station and equipment, and congratulated the citizens on their efforts. —Captain Grey (Morrinsvllle) said that he was a member of the Paeroa Fire Brigade 30 years ago. He was pleasqd to visit the .town and see its progress a ; nd he felt sure that when he went home and told the Mayor how Paeroa had got its shed and equipment Morrinsville would not be long in coming to light with a new shed, which they urgently required.

Superintendents Jenkins (Te Aroha), Stewart (Matamata), an exPaeroa fireman; Stamp (Waihi), and Captain Vause (Cambridge), also responded, and were loud in their praise of the change that had been effected in the Paeroa Fire Brigade’s equipment during the past year. The toast of “His Worship the Mayor was drunk with musical honours, and three hearty cheers, were also accorded him.

PRESENTATION OF HONOURS. ‘ - The presentation of awar.as was then made by Secretary Watts. He said® th at this was the most pleasant of all duties. Firemen were proud o¥ their certificates, and pr.ouder still of the medals for long service. Civilian friends perhaps did. not quite realise the importance firemen attached to the honours, but when he said that it was the great civic spirit behind it all, just in the same way as service < n a municipal body, school committee, and the many local bodies, they would perhaps understand. The time was coming in Paeroa when they must have some paid members of the brigade who would devote their whole time to the work. He took the opportunity of saying how much he personally appreciated the efforts made by the Paeroa business men. ’ It was a duty devolved upon every borough council to see to it that they had an efficient brigade. He also'mentioned the powers and duties, of the chief officer of the brigade and the Mayor at or during a fire. The Mayor and caiptain were the fire of the town. Secretary Watts then handed to Firemen Watkins and Nield five-year certificates; Fireman Robinson a three-year. certificate ; and Lieutenant Moore a 17-year service medal. He congratulated them, and also Captain Moore, who had 31 years’ servicei in charge of the brigade with the interest df Paeroa in his heart. -He was out to do a service to the people, and had earned all the appreciation Paeroa could give him. A framed photograph of Dr, Smith, who had 26 years’ service, was presented, to be hung in the fire brigade station.. In handing the photograph to Captain Moore Secretary Watts said that the doctor was one of the best men Paeroa had possessed. There were not many doctors who had gained the gold star as Dr. Smith ha<d. A framed photograph of Captain Moore was also presented to the brigade tb be hung in the station. The toast of “The Paeroa Fire Brigade” was proposed by Secreatry Watts and responded to by Lieut. Mbore.

The toast of “The Chairman, Mr Flatt,” and the singing of “Auld Liang Syne” brought a very pleasant evening to a close. Items during the evening were contributed by Messrs E. Edwards; D. Goodwin; Harrison, Cathrew, Trem-.

bath, and the members of .the Cambridge Fire Brigade, who sang “Old King Cole.” The accompaniments were played by-Mr C. Mettam.