HELENSVILLE FIRE BRIGADE

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 16 August 1917, Page 2

HELENSVILLE FIRE BRIGADE

CAPTAIN RESIGNS

RECONSIDERS HIS DECISION

While the Helensville Town Boar were holding their usual monthly meeting on Thursday evening last, a fire broke out at the rear of Messrs Jas. Stewart Bros., Ltd., large store, but through the energy of the members of the Fire Brigade it vras soon extinguished. After the fire the Captain of the Brigade (Mr Robinson) waited on the Board, and resigned his position. He gave an account of the work of the members at the fire, and the many disabilities under which they had laboured. . During the fire, he said, members of the Brigade had had to put up with insulting remarks from the public, which he considered was unjust. When it was taken into consideration the distance they had to go for the reel, he maintained that they had done good work, and strongly objected to the manner in which they had beeij treated, especially as they were a volunteer brigade. He asked the Board if anything had been done in the matter of a more convenient site for the reel, and considered the orie offered by Mr Coulter should be actepted. Continuing, Captain Robinson said he did not claim to be a "Captain Woolley" in regard to fire fighting, but he and the members of the local Brigade did what they could to assist the town in combatting fires and give the townspeople the benefit of reduced insurances, which naturally followed by the Brigade being in existence. Personally he had worked hard for three years voluntarily, and strongly objected to manner in which he and other members had been treated that evening. He claimed that the Brigade should get more assistance, from the Board, and emphasised the fact that as Captain of the Brigade it was quite within his power to prosecute members of the public who interfered with them in any way whilst combatting a fire. Members of the Board sympathised with C aptain Robinson, and asked him to reconsider his resignation. They assured him that the Board was ready and willing at all times to assist him and members in carrying out their good work as fire fighters. Captain Robinson thanked the Board for their sympathy, and agreed to continue to carry on the work.