FIRE BRIGADES.

Taranaki Daily News, 16 February 1922, Page 7

FIRE BRIGADES.

CONFERENCE IN TARANAKI. THE DISTRICT ASSOCIATION. The annual conference of the Taranaki District United Fire Brigades Association was held at the Hawera Borough Council Chambers on Tuesday night. The following delegates were present:—Secretary A. F. Hindi (Eltham) President; Sub-Superintendent A. Boon (New Plymouth, and proxy for Inglewood); Foreman W. Crofts (Stratford), Deputy-Superintendent L. Rowson (Hawera), Captain White (Manaia), Secretary C. H. Carey (Patea), Lieut. L. T. Adams (Patea), Superintendent H. A. Nuttall (Eltham), Superintendent F. W. Petett (Hawera), Superintendent Melville (Kaponga). Captain T. J. Watts, of the Newmarket Fire Brigade, secretary of the New Zealand Fire Brigades’ Association, and travelling advisory superintendent to the voluntary fire brigades not under the Fire Board control, was' also present. President A. F. Hinch briefly welcomed the delegates. Mr. E. Dixon, M.P. (Mayor of Hawera), welcomed the delegates. He felt certain that after spending a few days in Hawera they would go away with the impression that it was one of the cleanest and most up-to-date towns in New Zealand. The coming of the delegates to Hawera was a most auspicious occasion. He paid a tribute to fire brigades generally. All the towns of New Zealand were fortunate indeed that bodies of men were willing to -pend their time and to take risks in fire fighting. In Hawera they hal a very fine fire brigade, and he sometimes wondered whether the people of Hawera and Taranaki fully realised the risks that were taken in safeguarding property. SUSPICION OF FIRES. Mr. H. Lewis, on behalf of the Hawera Fire (Board, also welcomed the delegates. He thought that after every fire, unless it was too trivial, there should be an inquiry in order to find out what was the cause of the fire. It was very hard for an innocent person to have a fire through no cause of his own, and to have the man in the street start talking. That person should be cleared of blame. Various fires had occurred of late, and the man in the street started to talk. He thought the man should have every chance of being cleared from all suspicion. President A. F. Hindi thanked the Mayor and Mr. Lewis for their kind remarks. Hawera and its fire brigade were recognised to be all that the previous speakers had claimed for it. The executive’s report stated that the association was to be congratulated on its continued prosperity. The finances were in a fair condition, and the balance of assets over liabilities amounted to £l5 16s 9d. The executive very much regretted the loss of one of Kaponga’s esteemed firemen in C. Evans, who died after a very short illness. The association expressed to the brigade and relatives its heartfelt sympathy in the loss. Messrs. J. W. McMillan (Mayor of Stratford), and C. Jackson, of Stratford. had donated a gold medal each to the association for forthcoming demonstrations. During the year Captain Ward, of the Kaponga Fire Brigade, and a past president of the association, had been transferred from the district, and the executive thanked him for his past services. Th© past presidents’ board, recording the names of those who had held that high position, had been procured, and was the gift of Mr. Oscar Mawley, of Eltham, and the lettering was also the gift of Secretary Carey, of the Patea Fire Brigades’ Association. TRAVELLING EXPENSES.

Superintendent Petett, Hawera, and Fireman Inch, of New Plymouth, had both received their 25 years’ gold star since the last conference. The executive thanked officers and members of the various brigades for their kindly help during the past year. The president, in moving the adoption of the report and balance sheet, said that it would be noticed that the credit balance was not as good as usual, which was caused through the decision that the association pay the expenses of delegates. He thought that delegatee should be prepared to pay their own travelling expenses. They were prepared to do other duties voluntarily. The executive viewed with regret the fact that there was not going to be a conference of the big centres this year, and that the Fitzroy brigade was dropping out of the association. There were only eleven brigades in the association, and this cut the number down to ten. Deputy Superintendent ‘Boon (New Plymouth) agreed with the president that delegates should pay their own expenses. •Superintendent H. A. Nuttall (Eltham) did not agree with this view, which would make it hard on men who worked for wages. The expenditure for the year could hardly be helped. The delegates at the Inglewood conference last year were rather “elaborate,” which had helped to bring the amount of the balance down. Foreman W. Crofts (Stratford) suggested that in order to pay for shutter discs which had just been bought for the following days’ competition the association should strike a levy amongst all the brigades. . The president said that Captain Watts had donated a gold medal for competition, and a vote of thanks to the three donors was carried. A vote of thanks to the donors of the past presidents’ board was carried. The report and balance sheet were adopted. The Patea Fire Brigade sent the toilowing remit:—“That the annual conference and demonstration be held early in November instead, of in February. Lieut. Adams (Patea), in moving the adoption of the remit, said that in Patea they drew their members from industries from which it was difficult for men to get away at the time when the demonstration was held. After discussion the remit was lost. The executive recommended that the medals donated .by Captain Watts be presented to the winner of the Guilbert memorial competition, and the other two medals presented to the of the two-men coupling competition. —Carried. THE DEMONSTRATIONS. A lively discussion took place as to the granting of £5O by the United Fire Brigades’ Association. Members were m a fog as to whether the grant had b£ en made to the association or io the Hawera demonstration committee. Captain Watts explained that the grant had been made to the association, and it rested with the association as to aow the money was allocated. It was

decided that the £5O be granted to the Hawera demonstration committee. Superintendent Petett (Hawera) expressed disappointment at the entries which had been received. The Hawera brigade had great co-operation from the general public, and had boomed the day as a great gala day for Hawera. He strongly criticised the brigades which had not entered teams, and thought that they should be asked for explanations. It had been necessary to call in outside help in order to provide attraction for the public. In one event where they had expected at least ten entries, and had donated £27 for prize money in the expectation that it would be the big event of the day, they had received only three entries. He thought they should now reduce the prize money for this event.

Superintendent Nuttall moved that the prize money in this event be cut down to £lB. Captain Watts said that the United Fire Brigades’ Association, when it applied to the Government for grants for sub-associations, had stated that the only manner in which the Government could help was in the direction of prizemoney. With the Taranaki Association giving such large prize-money he eould not say that the Taranaki association was in need of £5O. He must say that the prize-money was altogether too high. Foreman Crofts asked if post entries would foe allowed. Stratford were prepared to make post entries in various events in order to help Hawera out. Superintendent Petett said they would be justified in taking post entries. After considerable discussion Superintendent Nuttall’s recommendation was carried.

It was decided to recommend to the demonstration committee that post entries be accepted for events.

The election of officers resulted as follows:—President, Superintendent Petett (Hawera); senior vice-president, Secretary C. Carey (Patea); junior vicepresident, Superintendent A. Melvilje (Kaponga); treasurer, Superintendent H. A. Nuttall (Eltham); secretary, Fireman A. M. Burrows (Eltham); auditors. Captain T. G. Grubb (Stratford), and Secretary J. Champion (Hawera). Captain White extended an invitation to the association to hold next year’s conference at Manaia. The invitation was accepted.