FIRE BRIGADE MEETING.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 3, Issue 977, 18 January 1882, Page 3

FIRE BRIGADE MEETING.

well-attended meeting. of-ratepajwf M aa . in rtho Town fjHj Mayor presiding. In opening. :the pflj ceedings, HiaWorebip called attention™ w great destruction/of property in .tflH Borough for the past few years,- 'aw thought no expense should be pparod H forin a brigade, and although (!:? Councß had full power to act,, they, thought B . would beßjjjg courteous to get the voicH raJWayera on tho subject. . I f /tVickeraon proposed, and Mr RublH „ ...Glided, that the Council be asked t<B vote the auia oi LSO for the establishment of a Firo Brigade, and an annual subßidjfl of L2O. | Mr Book proposed as an amendment,! •nd Mr Baillie seconded, that the amount oe L4O and LlO, _ Mr Bock gave some valuable lmformation as to cost of the necessary appliances, to start the Brigade, which sliewod that about £l5O would be required, and in answer to Mr Gray, thought tho remainder of the money could be made up by subscriptions.' He'also thought that as the engine would ho some mouths before i it could be got from home, ut second sum ■ might be granted by the Council. Bii Worship then informed the meeting ol the amount of money at present available in the hands of the Borough, . and also what would be available for the next twelve months. ■ His Worship also read a telegram from -Mr Pearce the agent of the South British Insurance Co,, on tho subject, and thought that -some assistance could be relied on from that quarter. • Mr Gray thought , that the best way would be for the Council to borrow sufficient money to form a brigade, and to levy a rate from the Borough funds to pay the same; and moved as a further amendment, that a committee be formed to ascertain the necessary expenses to start a Fire Brigade, andthe Borough Couucil ho askod to defray tho .expense of such, and that the whole expense should come out of Borough funds,- On being pressed, Mr tray limited the sum to £IOO, and Mr R, Freeman seconded the: amend;, ment. Mv Baillia said that although he had secdnded Mr Bock's amendment, ho was in favour of Mr Gray's, and "would support it, as lie thought that a large amount of destruction to both pereous and property at fires in Greytown, was owing .to the want of an organized body ; .;and . stated that a sum of £lO had boon voted by the Council twelve months , ago, .for that purpose. Messrs Msiguite, Haines, and Thompson spoke in favour of tlie formation of a but thought the sum itated would bo inadequate, and raild preferWsee it well done. Mr:W. G. Beard«ud the meeting ought not to .go half way, but leave the qtiMion of amount entirely in thohands of the Council, and give them M power to work, thentheymigbtexpecttogetagoodbrigade, Mr Beard dwelt at some length upon the destruction of proporty in Greytown, and thedeteriorating eliccl it had upon the Borourb'generally; arid'thought that.the Brigatfthould not be under the control of tltfrfCouucll, and moved as a further amendment, that the Council he requested to sot aside such a sum as it may think requisito out of the funds of the Borough for the establishment of a Firo Brigade. Mr Book withdrew his amendment, and seconded Mr Beard's, Mr AViokerson withdrew Hb proposition, and Mr Gray llij amendment in favour of Mr Beard's also, Mr Brooks was sorry Mr Wicktrsun's proposition was withdrawn, as he would have supported it, now he would have to vote on the opposition, as he did I' tiof like the ideii of the Council having such unlimited power, Messrs Thompson, Gray, and Baillio, having spoken in answer to Mr Brooks, His Worship put Mr Beard's proposition to the meeting Mr Moffat wanted the ballot, and if lie couldn't have it, would not vote on either side. The show of hands resulted in 24 to nil, His Worship declaring tho proposition carried, amid great applause.A vote of thanks was given to his Worship. A list of those willing town the Brigade was then opened, , and 26 names were given in. A meeting will be held in the Town Hall, on Friday . evening, at 8 o'clock, when all those who are interested are requested to attend ; m the meantime the list is open for receipt of further Bjgnatnre at the Town Clerk's Office. ' "