THE LATE FIRE AT THE TEMUKA FLAX MILLS.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1928, 10 August 1889, Page 2

THE LATE FIRE AT THE TEMUKA FLAX MILLS.

T® THIS EDITOR. ' / ; Sib, — As the letter of Mr A. W. Surridge in your issue bf the incbnnection with latefireseetnbr] to me to be misleading, I crave yottr*courtesy to be allowed to mate a’fbwl explanatory remarks upon the subject. First, than, sir, no one from the Flax Mills was authorised to solicit, the assistance of the Fire On it first coming to my knowledge that a person had gone oh ‘such 1 ah ~ errand, I sent a messenger to say; that; j their services wbre not at all ; needed! |i , Our own staff of men, aided by the| r . kind neighbors, who did not i-wait ; be ashed nor bargained for price for saving property,, had the, ffire; well in hand within half-an-hour. I believe the reason the person went for the engine was in case it should be necessary to save the house occupied ; by Mr Gregory, belonging to Mr J. T. M. Hayhursfc, as the, south-west I wihd was blowing the flames directly fb/the house.

Secondly; Mr Editor, what in the ■ name 1 of common sense has the firo that occurred three years ago to do] with this one ? . The company is apt - the same. It would be as reasonable, to spank a yeung urchin for something his father had done before the said ] urchin was born as td! ! in&dt ; panish* ,;i ment on the present company lor ’ , some grievance the brigade has against,. some former company. If the engine cannot be taken a distance of H miles on a good metal, rob'd V, without costing the brigade £5 16t, ? then, sir, I for one have not great faith: ! in their efficiency when they get l to a, fire. It does seem strange to me, coming from a place where it is ' esteemed the greatest honor to be the first at a fire and the last to leave it, even when, as in the case of houses in the bush, it may extend over many days, to expect a person to take a cheque in his hand before he can: claim the assistance of a Tolnnteer Fire Brigade. :In conclusion, I think, sir, if Mr A. W. Surridge had made-proper. ,' enquiries, and not jumped at con-.’ elusions too hastily, he would have saved himself the trouble of writing: a very silly letter. .- ■ Thanking you, in anticipation, for ’;; inserting this letter, I 1 am, etc., 1 Q-eoege Alfsed White, . Manager Temuka Flax Mills. > 7th August, 1889, - iW