Te Aroha Fire Brigade.

Te Aroha News, Volume XXVII, Issue 43221, 29 August 1907, Page 2

Te Aroha Fire Brigade.

BRIGADE TO BE REORGANISED.

At the meeting of the Borough Counci last night, fire brigade matte s received a ; good deal of attention from .Qopoillors. D. Brenan, bootmaker, forwarded an count for £2 11s for six pair ur«a brigade ,/' boots, which account the Brigade had refused __ Jel. Bell, tailor, forwarded an account for £7 7s for six pairs of brigade uniform trousers, and enclosed the following correspondence giving his reason for sending tne account to the Council These uniform trousers were procured by Captain Crickett for the Te Aroha Fire Brigade, and in due course the account was presented to the brigade from whom he received the following reply: “Tour account for £7 7s was duly presented at the meeting of the fire brigade and I have to inform you that the brigade does not hold itself responsible for the pay- A ment of the same. —H. Whitehead, secretary Te Arolia Eire Brigade.” P.S.—Captain Crickett stated that these, uniform trousers would be paid by the brigade in the ordinary way, and as the account has been rejected I now present it to the Borough Council.— James M. Bell. • , In reply to a question by Cr Hubbard, the Clerk stated the Council paid the brigade a subsidy of £25 per annum and a caretaker £7 10s for looking after the shed and gear. Cr Hubbard in speaking of the late fire, referred to the bursting of the hose, and stated the hose was not kept up-to-date. He referred to the three connections on the one lead. He thought there was some mis- ' management, and someone was responsible. He said that if the fire had started in the main block the town would probably have been swept. They should also kavo a salvage corps and put the brigade under fresh hands, and he suggested that Mr Maxwell he given charge of the brigade. Cr Annan said there was something radically wrong. He found that nearly all the hose on the feel was out of gear. They an apparatus for drying the gear, hut it had not been used for the last twelve months. Ho proposed that the brigade be disbanded, the Council call for a superintendent or captain, and the brigade be under the control .of the Council. They should receive names for approval. On Monday night they had a practice but none of the hose would couple. He was quite prepared to hear the insurance rates would be raised. • • tt - Cr Hubbard seconded the proposition. He said there were some 1 good men in the brigade who would join again, while there were a number in the town who were willing

t 0 The r Town Clerk said the discarded hose had been left on the reel instead of the new hose. Cr Rowe said they should ask the captain for an explanation. The Town Clerk said the captain was the;, caretaker. 'A Cr Jackson said the captain said there was only 150 yards of hose available for a fire. Gr Devey explained that the team who went to Christchurch agreed to. buy trousers and hoots and had the money in hand, anyway the team returned, but the money was not paid. He said the hose had not been off the reel since the Belmont fire. .He was quite in favour of disbanding the brigade. Cr Jackson said Captain Crickett ordered the material in his official oapacity. _ Cr Devey said the shed had not been cleaned out for three months. He stated they kept £G back to pay for these uniforms, and one of the team was treasurer. (Laughter) y Cr Rowe moved as ah amendment that they ask the captain and caretaker to resign. On the Mayor’s suggestion the motion was altered, that the captain be.called on to resign and the brigade he reorganised, and this was °The Town Clerk suggested calling a public meeting of those interested in brigade matters as the brigade at present was in the nature of a close corporation, aud a number who wished to join were unable to do so. The fact ,of the matter was that they were not drinking men. ___