FIRE BRIGADE CONTEST.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 3, Issue 846, 15 August 1881, Page 2

FIRE BRIGADE CONTEST.

[To the Editor of tho Waihabafa Daily,] Carterton, August 12.. Sir-It is with regret thai I Jiave read tho letters on this question in your issues of tho 9th and 10th inata., ns correspondence of such a. naluro is only calculated to breed ill-feeling botween two Brigades who have hitherto, and will, I trust, always pull togerlier, and be on friendly terms.

I may at once state that I have ascertained (voluntarily) from the writer of the letter signed " Carterton," who is not ii member of our Brigade, and who 'expressed his regret thiit the construction placed upon it by Captain Muir should have-occurred, that, the letter was written solely in defence of the Carterton men on the N.Z. Times paragraph quoted, not with the slightest intention of detracting from the laurels won by tho Masterton ■ Brigade in the recent contest,

The facts as to dates stated by Captain Muir aro correct, and it is equally true that we might have had as much practice as our opponents.' The insinuation as to our being afraid of mud and rain is evidently only a hasty expression of his, which 1 believe, had he thought over the matter, would have been erased ere his letter was sent to you. It was not the fear of either that made me write requesting that the match should he postponed. The reason, as stated in my letter to Captain Muir, was that having only a limited supply of hose, we feared that practising with it in the stale the roads were in might seriously damage it, and its efficiency impaired if we should bo called out for active'service. It was not for ourselves, but qur apparatus we feared. The remarks contained in the concluding paragraph of Captain Muir's letter seem to point out that in one way or another our men acted unfairly, That they did so intentioually I am sure is not the case, but it i? quite possible that some iictjon on their part in handling an engine of which, the majority of the team had no previous knowledge may, to onlookers, thoroughly acquainted with its working, have given rise to such a suspicion on the part of some of the Masterton men.

That no ill-feeling exists, on the part of this Brigade, towards their brother firemen in Miistorlon, is, I think, sufficiently testified by tho fact that prior to Captain Muir's letter, a vote of, thanks was passed at n meeting of this Brigade (when 25 members wore on psrado)to the Miißtertnn Brigade for the hearty and hospitable manner in which they had received our men.

Ihnpo for the future those outside of the Brigades will Itt us alone, and let us manago our own affairs. If this is done, I feel well assured the two Brigades will always work together in a friendly manner, and no difference or bickerings will arise, while each Brigado is quite capable of protecting its own honor if it is impugned. _ " Carterton," I feel assured, wrote with a good intention, and this little difficulty only arose through his not being aware of the correspondence 'that had passed between Captain Muir and myself, in making arrangements for the competition, ,l . '' lam, Ac, Tps GoiE, . Hon."Sec. C.V.O. I