FIRE BRIGADE SOCIAL

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 57, 30 May 1927, Page 9

FIRE BRIGADE SOCIAL

DEVONPORT CELEBRATES The Devonport Municipal Volunteer Fire Brigade held its annual “smoker” in the social room of the new station on Saturday evening. Among the visitors were: The Hon. E. W. Alison, M.L.C.; Mr. Alex. Harris, M.P. for Waitemata; Superintendent Gilbert, of Onehunga, one of the executive of the New Zealand United Fire Brigades’ Association; and Deputy-Superintend-ent Osborne, of Newmarket, who is treasurer for the Fire Brigades’ Association; the mayor and councillors of Devonport; and representatives of the city and suburban brigades. During the evening the prizes won at the annual sports meeting of the Devonport Fire Brigade were presented as follow: Handicap Shield. —Deputy Stevens. Championship Cup.—Foreman W. Colley. Th ree-Man Event. —Firemen JPage, N. Fletcher and J. Parker (medals). Two-Man Event. —Firemen W. Stevens and R. Fletcher (medals). Fireman Page, second in the championship event, received a gold medal. An interesting interlude was the formal presentation to "the brigade of the document bearing the signatures of the original members of the brigade when they were sworn in as special fire police on August 10, 1895. The presentation was made by Mr. T. Walsh, the “historian of the North Shore,” who rescued the paper from a watersoaked heap of rubbish. Complimentary reference to the new brigade quarters was made by several speakers. Mr. Aldridge, Mayor of Devonport, who presided over the gathering, said that this year the borough would spend £9OO on fire brigade work. The new duplex alarm system, with 35 call points, would soon be in operation, and the unsightly firebell towers would be removed. The Hon. E. W. Alison, who was mayor of Devonport at the time the first brigade was formed, congratulated the brigade on its very excellent progress, and the possession of up-to-date equipment. Items of entertainment were given by Hon. E. W. Alison, Messrs. Reg. Rushen, S. E. Kennings. J. Fletcher, R. Jones, G. Grant, W. Marks, Staff-Officer Pikely, R. Yates, Dr. Eade, C. Massee, and J. Hamlen.