FIRE BRIGADE

Opotiki News, Volume X, Issue 1042, 31 October 1947, Page 3

FIRE BRIGADE

LABOUR DAY DEMONSTRATION HUGO MEMORIAL SHIELD WON BY OPOTIKI The annual conference and demonstration of. the Bay of Plenty Fire Brigades was held in Rotorua over the week-end. The conference was held on Sunday evening, Supt. T. Anderson of Rotorua presiding. On Monday the. weather was mainly fine with a few scattered showers late in the morning. The dry events were run off before rain commenced.

The competition ground was at the rear of the Military Hospital and the .patients were able to get a good . view... Considering the weather there was ejuite a large attendance of the public.

. The first-event was for the Hawkins Meniorial. Gup presented some years' ago by Mrs. Hawkins of Op'otiki as a one-man dry event. This trophy - was won by Rotorua, Ngongotaha being second and Opotiki third..

Four fiicu motor event, coiled hose, dry drill for the Hugo Memorial Shield: Opotiki 16 points first, Mt. Maungunui 12j second, Ngongotuha points, .third. Two men hose and standpipe event: * Mt. Ma'.jnganui 9 points first, Opotiki 8 points second, Rotorua 6 points third.

Three men disabled hose event, Peagrain Rose Bowl: Matumata 12, first, Tauranga,, 9 second, To Puke 7 third. In this event the Opotiki team was unfortunate to be penalised for a breach which had. been previously misinterpreted as to the rules. It was understood that a knot in the disabled hose length should be tied within 10 feet of a coupling whereas the rule states that it was to be within 10 feet of the standpipe. The heavy penalty of 10 seconds imposed by the referee was thought to be excessive, as it was not' stated in the rule book. Four men hose and standpipe: M;t. Maungunui J 6 points, first, Whakatane 12i points, second, Opotiki 9i points, third. The total aggregate points for the day for the Chilton. Memorial Gup resulted in Mount Maungunui 39 points, first, Opotiki 38i points, second.

The fact that Opotiki gained a place in every event shows that flic local brigade takes a keen interest in its work and must have put in a lot of time practising. From the many comments from the referee, the officials and the spectators, (lie Opotiki brigade has a team that should be amongst the best in tlie Buy. The team cap-, tain, Jm, Foreman O. Borne has already received a request for" flic team to compete at the Auckland provincial demonstration to be hold at Taumarumii early next year. It is also intended to compete at the New Zealand demonstration at Wanganui in March next.