MASTERTON FIRE BOARD.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9529, 29 June 1909, Page 5

MASTERTON FIRE BOARD.

ANNUAL MSKTING.

The annual meeting of the Masterton Fire Koard was held yesterday afternoon in the Secretary's, office. There were present —Messrs O. Pragnell (chairman), R. M. Simpson, C. Pearce, and H. E. Kempthorne, J. H. Pauling, J. C. Ewington and J. Prentice. The Town Clerk notified the election of Crs. J. C. Ewington, J. H Pauling and Jas. Prentice, as the Council's representatives under section 17 of the Fire Brigades' Act. The Minister of Internal Affairs notified the appointment of Mr 0. N. Pragnell by His Excellency the Governor as a member of the Board, and 3lso forwarded Gazette notice of the election by the Insurance Companies as their representatives of Messrs H. E. Kempthorne, C. Pearce and R. M. Simpson. Mr Simpson moved, and Mr Pauling seconded, that Mr Pragnell be reelected chairman of the Board, which was carried unanimously. Caotain J. Dixon wrote stating that he had to put on nine extra men for two hours at the recent fire in Queen street. It was. decided to pay the men and apply for a refund from the Insurance Companies, provided the Superintendent's authority was available.

The Telegraph, Department notified the Board that there would be no free telephones for Fire Brigades as from June Ist. The Christchurch Fire Board wrote urging joint representation to the Minister w"th] a view to having at least one free telephone connection. lr was decided to support the suggest ion. Let.ers were read from J. Dawson and Cederholm Tolley re installing electric fire alarm systems, and the matter was left in the hands of ths local committee.

Superintendent T. Jenkins, in his annual repurt, stated that 44 calls had been received, the most serious ber:g the recent fire ia Queen i street of the Trust Lands Trust Buildings. Seven of these were outside the fire district. Alihough the Brigade responded promptly, they were unable with the gear at their disposal to prevent the total destruction of the buildings in each case, and out of the total of £5,689 of property, £1,945 was for fires outside the fire district. The total value of insurances of properly and losses involved during the year were as follow: —Property involved, £21,172; total insurances, £11.725; insurances paid, £4,402; loss above insurance, £1,467; thus showing a total loss to all parties of £5,869. The steam fire engino had been overhaled during the year, and a new boiler fitted, which was now, with te excc-p ion of a pump cylinder, in good working order, but the er.g'uie was badly in need of a coat of paint; 500 feet of new hose wii.h couplings had also been received. He urged that the Board make a grant to the Brigade for working expenses, a practise that had been carried out for years by the Borough Council and given general satisfaction. He also ai-ked the Board to take into conl sideration if the question of a new j fire station was to be deferred for I any length of time tha: some conI venience should be given to memI bera who live at the Central Shed, las at present not much inducement j was offered for men to leave their j homes and sleep at the fire station I for the benefit of the town. He also urged the necessity of a resident j custodian at the Kuripuni Fire Stai tion. In concluding the first annual report the Superintendent expressed his sincere gratitude to the members of the Fire Board and their Secretary. Mr R. Brown, for their uniform courtesy during the year. Thanks were also extended to members jjof the Police Force and officers ■ and members of both Fire Police and

I Fire Brigade. i Correspondence from the Minister of Internal Affairs with reference to a loan to purchase a Fire Brigade site was read, and the Chairman was authorised to interview the Minister on the subject. The estimated expenditure for the coming year was then considered and adopted amounting to £1,584, less surplus of assets over liabilities at the end of June, 1909, which will bring it down to about £1,300. The approval of the Brigade by- ■ laws was left in the hands of the I Chairman and Secretary. \ Accounts amounting to £250 16s were passed for payment.