VOLUNTEER FIRE BRIGADE.

Kumara Times, Issue 2904, 18 February 1886, Page 2

VOLUNTEER FIRE BRIGADE.

ANNUAL MEETING. The annual meeting of thy Kumara Volunteer "Fire Brigade was held in tinTown Hall last evening, tit eight o'clock. There was a h,rge attendance of members present. The minutes of the previous monthly and special meetings were read and con6rmed. The Secretary read the annual bal-ance-sheet, duly audited, which was received. The members fund balance-sheet was held over till next meeting. The Secretary was instructed to write to the Bor.mo]) Crmci! lequestiog payment of subsidy due j„ J.umary." The oilic.r.s reported the various plant and gear to he in good woikin-' Older. °

The election of officers for the ensuing year was then proceeded with, and resulted as follows : Captain—H. Burger (re-elected). Lieutenant—G. Anderson. Foreman of Hook and Ladder Company— C Murtha. Foreman of Engine Company—F. Smith. Foreman of Fire Company—L. Ziegler (re-elected). Secretary—G. Rudkin. Treasurer—J. Brayshaw. Branchmen— No. 1, W. Schulstad ; No. 2, E. Stevenson ; No. 3, W. Close ; No. 4, H. Adamson, Deputy-Foreman Hook and Ladder Company—J. Howe. Deputy-Foreman Engine Company—W. Schulstad. Deputy-Foreman Fire Company—G. C. Gebhardt and W. Close. Receipts to members' fund handed in amounted to £1 Is 6d. After the business was over the members proceeded to Ziegler's Empire Hotel, to hold the annual supper, and also to accord to the representative team to Napier a hearty welcome return and congratulations on their success at the competition. THE SUPPER. After good justice had been done to 'he excellent supper provided by Host Ziegler, Captain Burger, who presided, called upon all present to fill their glasses, and then proposed the first toast of the evening—" Her Most Gracious Majesty the Queen, and the Royal Family." Vice-Chairman Brayshaw next proposed— " Our Local Bodies; coupled with the names of Messrs Olden and Killeen." They were bodies which the community could not get on without, and it was only due that the Brigade should thus acknowledge the fact.— [Applause.] Song—" For they are jolly good fellows;" and by Branchman Stevenson—" Let us think of the days, Maggie."

Mr Olden, in replying, said he regarded local government as one of the greatest blessings that could be bestowed on a community. The local Fire Brigade would be a great credit to any community, and their successes in the late demonstration at Napier should give an impetus to young men to join them.—[Applause.] Mr Killeen was very proud to see the local Fire Brigade representative team do so well at the Napier competitions. It was a stimulant to him to do all in his power to advance the interests and welfare of the Fire Brigade.—[Applause.] Mr G. B. Rudkin proposed—" The health of onr representative team at Napier." It was very gratifying to see the very honorable position the Kumara team had taken in the competitions for which they entered, especially considering the fact that they had been contending against the most expert firemen the Australian colonies could produce, whilst the old-established towns on the Coast were not able to send teams. But he did not blame the brigades; they knew it was the lukewarmness of the people in not encouraging their local brigades as they should do. This was not as it ought to be ; every means should be given to keep up and establish fire brigades.—[Hear, hear.] He considered the demonstration at Napier a very laudable undertaking. Everybody knows that during a fire there is so much excitement going on that very often there was some derangement or other that tended in the excitement to defeat the otherwise prompt action of its members. To obviate this and enable members to be keen to their particular duties, the excitement nearest to a fire was a competition ; it was a grand lesson for unity and smartness in action. He would conclude by drinking to the health of the representative team at Napier.—[Loud cheers.] Song—" For they are jolly good fellows;" and by Fireman Adamson "Kiss a boimie lassie when *he 'ki comes in."

Captain Burger responded by saying that although he accompanied them as a delegate, lr* was not one of the active representatives. The treatment they received at Napier was grand ; the townspeople bad gone to a great expenditure to make the demonstration a soccess. Nevertheless, he could not help but raise, his voice against the way the original programme had been altered and carried out, so that it was impossible for any teams which arrived late to fairly compete with those who were on the spot so many days sooner. The Kumara team arrived so late that they had no time to practice at hydi-u.i competition, otherwise he felt sure they would have gained one of the principal prises.—[Applause.] Great credit was due to them for their pluck ; f->r while large towns like Wellington and Olin'stchurch sent no representative teams, for the reason that they thought they would have no show with the skilled I <-nd practised men of Duucdiu ami <

Ballard, our own men wore not afraid to show front. [Loud applause.] There was not the slightest doubt the teams from those places were composed of really good smart men ■ and from them they could learn a great deal. But they had advantages which others d\d not possess; for instance, the BalUrat teams had hydrants which only weighed 71bs. each, whilst the average of others weighed about 25Ibs. He thanked the company present on behalf of the team.—[Applause.] Foreman Smith, who acted as Captain of the representative team, acknowledged the vote of thanks which had .been passed. He thought the Chairman had acquainted them with all that he could say. They did their best and were pleased to find that this was testified to by those present.— [Applause.] Fireman Hannah also responded. Fireman Valentine said they had just had their annual election, and he would now therefore propose—" The health of the newly-elected officers."— [Applause.] He hoped they would have as few fires to contend with next year as there had been last. In reference to competitions he would like to see contests with other local fire brigades, which would tend to improve practise.—[Hear, hear.] Song—" For they are jolly good fellows;" and by Fiieman Hannah—- " Since we were boys together." Captain Burger responded, and advocated the necessity for frequent practice. He commented on the fact of the competing teams visiting Napier prior io the days of the demonstration being invited by the townspeople to visit the hop gardens of Hastings and the freezing works at Farndou. The Ballarat team preferred to remain in town and practice; which no doubt benefitted them during the competitions on the clays following.—[Hear, hear.] Lieut. Anderson thanked the Brigade for the honourable position they had placed him in to-night. He hoped all wonld work together and try and attend the practices regularly. Fireman Hannah spoke in a eulogistic manner of the Captain, who had so regularly attended the practices of the competing team.

Foreman C. Murtha would try and do as well or better in future as in the past.

Foreman Smith responded similarly. Lieut. Andeison proposed "The Retiring Officers." He himself had stood that evening to make an election without any particular wish to be elected. Of course when it came to an election, some one must he defeated.

Song—" For they are jolly good fellows;" and by Fireman Close—" When the War is over, Mary." Treasurer Brayshaw, as one of the retiring working officers, said that although he was defeated, a min could and he would be just as good a member as before.—[Applause.] Mr Geraghty (late Secretary) thanked those present very much for the toast. He was glad to observe that the brigade had elected a good secretary. Song by Fireman Adamson—" Wait till the Clouds roll by." Deputy - Foreman Schulstad proposed— " Health to kindred Brigades; coupled with the name of hon. member Valentine."

Song—" For he's a jolly good fellow;" and by Mr Lawrence—" Oh, have you seen the ghost ?"

Mr Valentine responded, adverting to his long connection with Fire Brigades on the West Coast.

Secretary Rudkin proposed—" The Ladies." He thought there was an amount of quiet irony in the Captain calling upon him for "this toast, as it was well known that it was a subject quite out of his line. However, he must make the best of it. For many years in the colonies he had been afraid of the ladies—[laughter]—but having as last made a plunge, he could assure the young members that matrimony was not such an awful business after all. .Testing apart, he was sure that they would all join cordially in the toast, for we are indebted to the ladies for the greatest blessings of civilisation.—[Hear, hear.]—He would call upon Mr Howe to respond. Songs—Here's a health to all good lassies;" and by Firemen Hannah—- " Tim Flaherty." Deputy-Foreman Howe said Mr Eudkin had taken him at a disadvantage in asking him to respond. He did not know what to say. He liad not so much business to do with the ladies as some members near him who would have been better able to respond to the toast. But he must say he was very fond of the ladies—[laughter], and on their behalf he would return their best thanks.—[Applause.] Songs t»y Fireman Ztegl.'r " Ttie Watch on the Rhine"; and by Capt. Burger—" When the Swallows homeward fly "; both iu German, Also by

Mr Olden-" 111 nor WOe sha] , tb betide." Capt. Burger proposed a toast which although generally regarded as a formal one, was one of the most important in all social gatherings.—lt was the toast of "The. Press!" _ [Applause.] Ihey were all w«]| aware nf the bene6fs to the world in the advancement of science, literature, and colonization which the freedom of the Press gave. He contrasted the progress macfe in England, America, and the colonies as compared with Continental nations particularly Russia, where the Press was kept under restraint. He comfavourably on the local paper for its general correctness; and had no doubt that if it wore better supported they would see the paper enlarged. He would couple with the toast the name of Mr Janion.

i Mr Janion, in responding, said that a though he was at fi m in donhfc as tQ the propriety of the Brigade spending so much money in sending a representative team to compete; yet when they had fully resolved upon doing so he gave them his heartiest support, for there were many things a yoong brigade could learn by competing with older teams, which they would otherwise never learn at all.—[Hear, bear.] The team sent had done well, and, notwithstanding the lack of many implements winch the Brigade here did not possess, they had shown themselves to he as a whole one of the smartest teams at the Napier demonstration.—[Applause.] The proof of this was in the prizes they bad brought home with them. He thanked the Captain for his eulogistic remarks in reference to the local paper, and could assure them that if it were better supported by advertisers, they could produce a journal which would compare favourably with any on the Coast.—[Applause.] Fireman Hannah proposed—« The health of the Host and Hostess," which was most heartily received and suitably responded to by Mr Ziegler. The singing of « Attld lang syne " and "God save the Queen," concluded a very merry and jovial auuual meeting.