FOXTON FIRE BOARD.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 3809, 23 June 1928, Page 3

FOXTON FIRE BOARD.

QUAR.TERLY MEETING,

The quarterly meeting of the Fox to n Fire Board was held in the secretary s office yesterday, presided over by Mr. F. (i. Cray (chairman). Also present were Messrs J. K. Hornblow, M. E. Perreau and the secretary (Mr. R. Rangihe'uea). Mr. A. W. 0. Stevenson (Superintendent), was also in attendance. An apology for absence was received from Mr. A. 11. Clerk©. APPRECIATION. The Chairman said he wished to take the opportunity, as chairman of the Board, of expressing the Board’s appreciation of Mr. A. W. 0. Stevenson’s acceptance of the position, of Superintendent. This was the first meeting of the Board since Mr. Stevenson had taken over the position and he had heard very excellent accounts of the improvement in the Brigade, and of the methods adopted by Mr. Stevenson in carrying out the wishes of the Board. ’ He wished Mr. Stevenson every success and assured him he would at all times have the assistance and support of the Board. GVIH Stevenjson thajnkcd the chairman for his remarks. A motion of appreciation was acrorded the chairman for his efforts in arranging for the bank overdraft. NEW MEMBERS. The following new members were elected to the Brigade:—Messrs J. R. Newton, F. J. Desmond, A. E. Walsh and E. Stevenson. The appointment of Mr. H. Reid as Deputy Superintendent was confirmed. GENERAL. It was decided to ask the secretary of the Brigade for a list of all honorary members and the date of expiry of such subscriptions. The brigade wrote asking the Board to build a wardrobe in each sleeping room at the station. This was agreed to and it was decided to line the station kitchen, repaint “no admission” notice and

to furnish the superintendent’s office and to place his name on the door of same. Mr. McMurray was accorded a < vote of thanks for donation of gold ] helmets. Accounts amounting to £lB 18s 6d 1 were passed for payment. SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORT. The Superintendant (Mr. A. W. 0. Stevenson) reported as follows :: — I “Brigade.—lncluding the messen- ; ger the present strength of the Bri- , gade is fifteen and in order to bring it to its normal number, I propose i to submit names to fill the vacancies. J “Calls. —During the quarter the j brigade has had five calls the particulars of which I have already ] furnished. “Station etc. —The station, engine ] and equipment are in good order and the additional lights recently \

installed in the workshop and tho engine-room are a great asset, more especially the one in the engineroom, which takes 165 hours to consume I unit or 8d as against the previous light which used to take 18 hours to consume 1 unit or Bd. “McMurray’s Gold Helmet Badges. —In recognition for the excellent save effected by the brigade in the Park Street fire, Mr. McMurray kindly donated 4 gold helmet badges for team competition. The brigade proposed to hold a monthly competition. Already the men of all ranks are keenly interested and from observation I am certain that these badges are going to assist, the brigade to attain to a very high standard of efficiency.

“Matters requiring attention are as follows: —1. The chimney-front needs raising so as to enable the room to have the full benefit of the heat and warmth from the fire. The fireplace also requires the same treatment. Under existing conditions the heat, -if any, goes up the chimney owing to its faulty construction. 2. A supply of new billiard cues is urgently required. 3. Two wardrobes are very necessary. 4. Two smoke-masks and one electric hand lamp or torch are also urgently needed: 5. New hose is also required to replace deteriorated ones. It was decided to purchase six billiard cues for the brigade. The purchase of 500 feet of 2£in. Camel hose, couplings and washers was left in the hands of the chairman with power to act. It was decided to offer the Borough Council 500 feet of secondhand hose at 3d per foot. The question of purchasing a smoke mask was deferred until next mteting. The chairman reported that an electric torch for the brigade was ordered and would arrive shortly. ' The Board decided to alter the station chimney as suggested by the brigade. ELECTRIC SIREN. The chairman reported that he had tested a small electric siren at Otald on the night previous to the meeting. The alarm had been heard two miles distant and was quite satisfactory. He was of opinion that a small siren similar to the Otaki one would be suitable for Foxton, the cost being £39 as against £52 for a larger one which the Board had contemplated purchasing. Under the motor regulations it would be necessary for the Board to instal a siren on the engine also. It was decided to purchase a £l3 siren for the engine and to hold over the question of purchasing the general alarm siren until next meeting.

It was decided to act jointly with the Levin and Otaki Boards in obtaining a reduction in the price'of electric power for the siren alarm. It was decided to endeavour to quit the brigade’s chemical engine. The question of painting the fire engine was left in the hands of the local committee with power to net. BEAUTIFYING STATION GROUNDS. The chairman mentioned that at Otaki a resident had donated to the Brigade 100 hedge plants for beautifying the station grounds. A neat jrieket fence had been erected around the grounds and the brigade had done a good deal of work in planting the trees, etc., by means of “working bees.” He would like to sec some attention paid to beautifying the local grounds and expressed the hope that some public spirited resident would donate suitable shrubs for the purpose*,

At the conclusion of the meeting the chairman thanked the Superintendent for his attendance, which materially assisted the Board in matters pertaining to the Brigade.

The Superintendent thanked the chairman for the privilege of being present and for the support accorded him bv the Board.