FIRE BRIGADES' CONFERENCE

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10575, 5 March 1912, Page 5

FIRE BRIGADES' CONFERENCE

AT ROTORUA. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) ROTORUA, Last Night. The thirty-third annual Conference of the United Fire Brigades Association is being held jiere. Yesterday a church parade was held. Business commenced this morning, Mr Boyes, the President, being in the chair, and 114 delegates were present. The President, in his opening address, paid a tribute to the past President, and said that the fact that nothing worthy of note in fire fighting had occurred during the year showed that they were getting into touch with their work as firemen. He could not help telling them that they owed a debt of gratitude to the Government for the assistance ic ha dafforded the firo brigades. So long as they stood shoulder to shoulder as volunteers for the protection of life and property, they would afford an object lesson tothe Labour Unions in not seeking a selfish object, but the welfare of their fellows. Twenty-one gold stars were" earned last year. A sad feature abotit the Conference was the absence of Mr J. G. Gilbert, the grand builder of the Association. He regretted that illness prevented his attending. The assets and liabilities had increased from £7BO 12s 8d to £BO9 8s lid. An item on the balance sheet, "Brigade subscriptions in arrears," should not exist. The amount now was double that of last year. The following Brigades became affiliated with the Association : —Cromwell, Taumarunui, and Invercargill Railway. The Hawera Fire Police had been disbanded. One hundred and seventeen Brigades were now on the roll. The Accident Insurance branch, was now in a satisfactory condition, being in credit to the extent of £1723. The balance sheet i showed a balance of £750 8s 3d. ' The Conference carried a remit from Invercargill that the Association take steps to secure tne exemption from compulsory training of all firemen, whether permanent or volunteer. Captain Hugo, in his address to the conference, said the Mackay-Log-an fire at Auckland had brought up the loss by fire risk to the average of the previous five or six years. The question of expansion by fire as affecting the safety of buildings should be seriously discussed. He emphatically cTenied the statement made in reference to Australian firemen, that the effect of State Insurance had Been an increase in fire waste. The provision in the Act requiring onethird of the ratepayers to vote.on a proposal for the. constitution of fire districts, required an,amendment. He approved of the that school drill should, be carried . out, but a general scheme should be adopted. The danger of all glass ver? andaJis was emphasised. Captain Hugo dwelt on the necessity for "the standardisation of appliances. Brigades should strive after the efficiency attained by the Continental brigades, where practical examinations were enforced.