MASTERTON FIRE BRIGADE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9048, 14 March 1908, Page 5

MASTERTON FIRE BRIGADE.

HISTOKY OF ITS FORMATION.

DETAILS OF ITS EARLY CAREER.

DEVELOPMENT UNDER DIFFICULTIES.

(Specially Contributed)

Now that the important Fire Brigades' Conference has'concluded its 1908 session in Masterton, a brief history of the formation of the local Brigade, which, with the Fire Police, received such high encomiums regarding the excellent arrangements made for the reception and entertaining of the delegates, will no doubt be read with interest by many. In 1877 Messrs Sellar and Hales' general store in Queen street, which was located where Messrs L. J. Hooper and Co.'s establishment now stands was razed to the ground, and was Masterton's biggest fire up to that tim?. Hundreds of spectators saw a valuable building filled with merchandise go up in smoke, and were powerless to save anything. The fire was beyond the scope of a bucket brigade, and held absolute sway until it had accomplished the fullest damage possible. Straightway public interest was aroused in Ihe question of establishing and equipping a fire brigade. A public meeting was called, and some thirty members were enrolled for service in the brigade. Mr Joe lorns was elected first captain, Mr W. M. Easthope secretary, and among the mcmoers were the following well-known residents of that time:—James Muir, W. Keester (afterwards captain), E. and T. Dixon, H. Hounslow, B. Hounslow, T. Jago, S. Kingdon, J. Prentice, C. Matthews and J. M. Girdlestone. Of these old identities a number have "crossed the border." j The early struggles of the brigade were characteristic of what has been the lot of fire brigades throughout the dominion almost down to iho present day. There was plenty of useful material among the members themselves, but there was absolutely nothing in the shape of plant to work upon at the outset, and the brigade had to go cap in hand round the town to solicit support, while the Borough Council exhibited a stony indifference to the wants of the new brigade—a most extraordinary attitude, and one which caused frequent displays of feeling af. the meetings of the two bodies. The insurance companies, however, came to the rescue, and sent up an old manual engine from Wellington, which was not being used, and this was the first fire-fighting machine brought to Masterton. The first uniform of the members is typical of the finaricitl position of the brigade, and consisted of a leather badge worn on the left arm of an every-day suit of clothes! The heroic attempts of the brigadesmen to procure paraphernalia for their work appealed strongly to public sympathy as months went by, and later on some red blankets were purhasad, which were cut up for tunic«. and did service for many years. Some discarded brass helmets were ?"so procured from the Wellington brigade, and distributed among the members. Then came a new marual engine, larger and much more powerful than the first, and there was great rejoicing as it arrived in town by road, there being no railway to Masterton at that date. Tl e sympathy of the Borough Council became finally enlisted in the case, but for many years after its formation the upkeep of the fire service did not cost the borough more than £l6 per year. One cf the chief items .of drill in those days was the locating of the nearest water supply to every house in the town, and when the brigade turned out to a fire two firemen were sent on ahead of the engine to ascertain the most suitable spot to obtain water from. There was not much hose in the shed, and firemen had to be economical in this respect. The second big fire in Masterton was the destruction of a block of seven shops, and the newly-erected Bank of Australasia, stretching along Queen street from Perry street to the'police station section. There was barely sufficient hose to reach from the town creek, at the back of Gray's bladesmith shop, to the middle of the road in Queen street, and of course the fire had all the best of 1 it. About 1885 Mr Macara's stables, in Dixon street, were destroyed, and a big conflagration it was. In 1887 the town augmented its primitive manual engines with the "Jubilee," which was christened one evening with much celebration by the wife of the-then Mayor (Mr M. Caselberg).

The first firebell stood where Mr F. J. Dupre's shop now is in Queen street, the timber for the tower being donated by Messrs McGi'egor Bros, (then sawmillers). This bell was erected two or three years after the brigade was formed, and prior to its coming the only means firemen had of knowing there was a conflagration was the general commotion in town. The present bell superseded the first bell many years ago, and great disappointment was expressed because its sonorous tones did not penetrate as far abroad as its predecessor.