MASTERTON VOLUNTEER FIRE BRIGADE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 3, Issue 909, 27 October 1881, Page 2

MASTERTON VOLUNTEER FIRE BRIGADE.

The usual fortnightly meeting of the Brigade was held last evening, a fall muster of members being present. Before proceeding to practice the handsomely framed address, described in our last issue, was presented to MR W, M, EASTHOPE by Captain Muir, who said that it was given less for its intrinsic value than as a mark of the respect and esteem of the Brigade, and as a recognition of the many .valuable services Mr Easthope had rendered during the two and a half years that he had acted as its honorary Secretary.—(Applause). Mr Easthope expressed his extreme gratification for the testimonial presented to him, more especially for the form it had taken. Had the presentation been of a more costly character be would have felt a delicacy in accepting it, but the receipt of the very appropriate memento of the kindly feeling which had subsisted between himself and the Brigade was, he considered, honorable to both the givers of it and the recipient. His efforts on behalf of the Brigade had always been ably assisted by Captain Muir and the members generally. He referred briefly to the difficulties that had been encountered and overcome in forming the Brigade, and congratulated it on its present high standard of proficiency, concluding by again expressing his thanks. (Applause,) GREEK MEETS GREEK, After practice a correspondence between the Maaterton and Wellington Brigades was considered. It appears that ihe former brigade forwarded a challenge in September for a competition with engine and hydrant and hose—dry practice. ■ The latter, in accepting the challenge, desired a wet practice. This the Mastertnn men declined, as seven men were insufficient to throw a stream of water the required heigjit. The Masterton Brigade sent an amended challenge, omitting the hose aiid;hydrant practice, and agreeing to wet practice with engine, water to be thrown 10ft instead of 20ft. To this the Wellington Brigade replied that as the Maiterton men showed so much indecision, a joint committee had better be appointed to arrange the terms and date.., of the proposed competition. The. iMasterton Brigade replied that it was the Wellington Brigade that had demurred to'its proposals. The City Brigade concluded the correspondence by claiming 'a" right, as an older brigade, to impose its terms on the Mastertnn Brieade. This view, we need hardly add, does,-=njbt meet, with the approval of our 'local -"brisa'de, who feel should have accepted the fair and reasonable S: