THE FIRE BRIGADE.

Southland Times, Issue 1092, 18 January 1869, Page 3

THE FIRE BRIGADE.

(to the editor of the southland times.) Sir, — The meeting which was held on Friday evening for the purpose of reorganising the Fire Brigade, under the Fire Ordinance passed by the Provincial Council in 1867, did not give evidence of the interest which all residents in town must, and ought to feel in so important a subject. The attendance was meagre, and the backwardness of those present to enrol their names was painfully apparent. Whether this may be amended by a larger number enrolling at the Honorary Secretary's Office than at the meeting remains to be seen. It needs no argument to show that this is an institution on the maintenance of which the welfare and prosperity of the town may be said to depend, for how many are there who would be literally ruined if a desolating lire were happening here, such as we have seen elsewhere, and Invercargill can claim no immunity from such a catastrophe ; but there is one important feature that we must remind citizens of, whi<;h is, that if an efficient Fire Brigade be not formed to extinguish fires when they do happen, it will soon be found that the proprietors of property will have to take their own risk, for no Insurance Company will take the risk of fire in a town where, if a fire happens, the certainty is that the whole of the amount the office has taken in town property will inevitably be lost without an effort to save it. It is a popular fallacy to suppose that good citizenship demands no more than to pay the annual insurance premium, as ifc comes due, and trouble not themselves about Fire Brigades. Apart from the fact that very few can get fully insured on any terms, even with a Brigade, it must never be lost sight of that an insurance business is not a benevolent or philanthropic in. stitutiou, but a business which, if found, likely to be a losing one, — by the extraordinary apathy and carelessness of owners of property in adopting means to prevent the spread of fire — the withdrawment of the various agencies established in the town will undoubtedly be the result. Let all, therefore, who have a stake in town property, use their influence to

have a good Brigade established, and when established, do nob let their interest in its maintenance and welfare flag and languish. Let it be a popular institution of the place, as it is all over the world. Fete your Brigade occasionally, and let them see youtake an interest in them, and depend upon it this policy will result satisfactorily to the pockets of the community. — I am, &c, Jan. 15, ISG9. Citizen.