FIRE BRIGADES CONFERENCE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7756, 7 March 1905, Page 3

FIRE BRIGADES CONFERENCE.

. ♦ (Per Press Association.) DINEBIN, March 6. At the Fire Brigades Conference most of the proposals for an.ending the rules of competitions were lost. fc, The sccrelnary that out of M'2 brigades belonging to the Association sewn only were not represented. The report of the committee, stating that the time was opportune for establishing in New Zealand a section of the British Fire Prevention Committee, was unanimously adopted. The draft of the Fire Brigades Hill was discussed at some length. Some exception was taken to clause 10, which gives the -Government the right .to veto the estimates of lire Boards, and submitting balancesheets to Parliament. Mr Arnold, M.H.R., by reifuest, uddrvssid the conference, and suggested that the conference should pass a resolution which did not bind themselves down to every word in the bill, and buck it up by appointing representatives to give evidence before the Parliamentary Committee. It was then unanimously resolved that the conference approve generally of the draft of the Fire Brigades Bill. A committee was appointed to convey to Sir J. 0. Ward the Association's opinion of the bill. It was decided to hold the next conference at Nelson. The following officers were appointed :—President, Captain Toomey, Lyttelton ; vicepresidents, Captain Bellringer, New Plymouth, and T. Battle ; secretary, Superintendent Gibbcrd (re-elected) ; auditor. F. W. Gainer, Napier. In connection with the Fire Brigades: demonstration a, torchlight procession through Princes and George Streets took place this evening, and was a picturesque sight. An enormous crowd gathered in the streets, the night being fine. About live hundred firemen took part inlfhe procession, all the gear of 'the local brigade being ■ utilised. There were six bands-, "and a number of cx-fircmen, and carriages with the Mayor,, councillors, and members of the demonstration coiumit'.oe. The brigades will be entertained to-mor-row at a picnic, and on Wednesday the competition commences.