FIRE-BRIGADES' CONFERENCE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 3152, 1 April 1909, Page 3

FIRE-BRIGADES' CONFERENCE.

MASTERTON DELEGATE'S "" ""*"„ REPORT. At the meeting of the Masterton Fire Brigade on Tuesday evening last Mr E. McEwen, who was the Brigade's delegate at the Fire-Brigades' Conference at Auckland, reported, inter alia, as follows: The report and balance sheet show the Association to be in a very prosperous position. During the year seven new brigades joined the Association and two were struck off, leaving 109 brigades in the Association up to The balance sheet shows a credit balance of assets over liabilities of £483 0s 7d, from which must be deducted the expenses of steamer and coach fares, cost and carriage of plant for demonstration, new Honours Board, prizes in essay competitions and cost of gold stars, which will considerably reduce the balance mentioned. Since last Conference a 25-years' gold star has been presented to ExSuperintendent A. Tingey, Palmerston North, and 11 stars were presented at the banquet held on 13th March in the Federal Hall. During the year Lieutenant Ashworth, Alexandra Brigade, was presented with the Valour Medal in recognition of his brave action in rescuing several miners who were in danger in a burning mine. In compliance with the resolution of the 1908 Conference the Executive selected three subjects o;i which essays were to be written. The subjects chosen were. "Fire Fighting, ; Ancient and Modern," "How Best ■ to Improve the Fire Service of the , Dominion," and "Should Insurance I Companies Contribute towards the ■ Upkeep of Fire Brigades?" The [ winners Vvere, respectively, Mr A. P. Godber, Petone, and Mr J. G. Gilbert, (2). There were 12 competitors in all, and the Conference passed a vote of thanks to these and the judges for their trouble, and decided j that no competition be help this year ! on account of expense, and also as I some of the delegates held the opinI ion that the essays were intended for firemen's children and not for adults. j .Secretary Watts brought forward [a recommendation from the DemonI stration Committee, that the rule I relating to Manual Engine events, jre man to be 12 inched off the j ground when taking hose from box of engine be suspended, on account . of theconsrtuction of engine, but the Conference decided that the rule must be adhered to. The motion by this Brigade re i subsidy to prize money was strongly j opposed by the Executive as they ■ considered that enough money was | now voted and the Association was j not in the position to grant more. j Although we were promised support { by a number of delegates, not one of i them spoke in favour of the motion, I and on going to the vote we only got ( about 12 votes. The second motion rfom this Brigade I withdrew, as I ,am sure the Brigade would not i have put it on the order sheet if j they had been aware of the ruling of the Conference on the rule in ■ question. They mairtain that leave ■of absence in any form does not 1 count for honours, this contention : being strongly upheld by many of : the delegates present. After hearing the discussion, I told the Conference that this Brigade has always understood that lesive of absence counted for honours and it was on this understanding that the motion was put' in. ; Later on in the sitting Ex-President ! Hansen moved a resolution that a ' circular be sent to all brigades under , the Association, giving a correct interpretation of Rule XL, which deals [ directly with the motion brought | forward by" this brigade. I seconded the motion, which was carried. ! The motion by the Timaru Fire Brigade re altering time for gold : stars from 25 to 21 years was lost. I Their argument being thai; now Fire I Boards were being instituted that ; the old men would be drafted out j and therefore would have no chance ! of completing their 25 years' service, | but Inspector Hugo, who was presI ent, scouted the idea as, he said, he | preferred an old experienced fireman | to a young novice who would be likely to lose his head if placed in a J dangerous position. An amendment | to this motion was moved by the I Hastings Fire Police that a 21 years' j medal be stnrk for presentation, the cost to be borne by the brigade, I the same as the 5 years' medal, and ■ the, 25 years' medal to be retained. I This Was also lost. j Invercargill's motion re payment j to judges and officials was lost. Their 'intention was to pay all hotel and traveHing expenses, but the Conference considered that this would place no limit on the official. It was eventually decided to grant first-class steamer fares instead of second-class as previously. I supported this. The motion by this Brigade re weight of helmets was lost, the Association having no inteniton of adopting lighter helmets as it was shown that they were not so serviceable as the heavier ones, and the cost is much greater. The aluminium helmet, London Metropolitan pattern, is the regulation weight, viz., ljlbs, and costs £2 15?. The motion by the Napier Fire Police re boots was lost after considerable discussion lasting quite 2 hours, and an amendment was carried providing that boots are to any leather, blutcher pattern, and regulation measurement, no spikes or bars. I supported this amendment, as it appeared to me that some bootmakers were trading on the firemen under the rule carried at the 1908 Conference, which piuvided that bootd were to be Indian kip. Some of the teams paid as much as 25s j a pair fegr their boots, which were Ino better than those worn by our '.team at half the price. The election of officers for the ensuing year resulted as follows: I President, Mr W. Lucas, Spit V.F. B.; vice-presidents, Messrs E. E. Boyes, Nelson F. 8., and E. Woolley, Auckland City F. 8.; treasurer, Mr G. Spriggins. Wanganui F. 8.; secretary, Mr J. G. Gilberd, Napier F. 8.; Auditor, Mr C. Cato, Napier; secretary's salary, £75; auditor's salary, £5 ss; record. £25.