MASTERTON VOLUNTEER FIRE BRIGADE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 6, Issue 1784, 10 September 1884, Page 2

MASTERTON VOLUNTEER FIRE BRIGADE.

Annual Report, 1881

In presenting this the sixth annual report of the Brigade the Officers' wish to congratulate the members on the progress made and the more satisfactory footing on which the Brigade now stands. During tho past year the Brigade has mot 47 times that is 29 times for practices or meetings 12 tiroes on account of chimney fires and false alarms, and five times for actual fires. The attendances at these meetings has been very satisfactory, the members 'being no doubt stimulated by the prize Offered by the Finance Cammittee for the best attendance during the yeai, and while many of the members have recorded over 40 attendances and very few fall below 35, Fireman Mills bears away the palm with 46 attendance's out of a possible 47. The fire losses for the year have been very light. On Sunday, November 11th, 1883 the •Brigade was called out to Mr Hoar's house, and after two hours work succeeded .in extinguishing the flames 'saving about half the risk on the build,ing. On the 9th of January Messrs Rapp & Hare's store was ignited, but was extinguished before the Brigade reached the building. On the 27th of February a call was made for Mr Harding's house, but the structure was entirely consumed before the alarm reached the Brigade. On 17th January Mr Holloway's house caught fire. There was a strong wind blowing, and no water - anywhere near, and' this property became a total loss. On 7th April a fire broke out at the Waipoua brewery, but was extinguished before any damage was dono, The chimney fires have been hardly so numerous this year as formerly only 12 of these having occurred. During nearly the whole of the past year the brigade has been trying to obtain a larger and,more powerful alarm bell, and after many rebuffs has succeeded, through the finance committee, in getting one ordered and it amy be expected to arrive almost any day. The questions of the appointment of fire inspectors and of support from the Borough Council, which have long been a source of disquiet, are now happily settled. The Council has consented to allow the Brigade-to nominate fire inspectors for its approval, and has voted a yearly allowance of £3O to the funds. It will be necessary r at this meeting for the the brigade to select a captain.: Mr Jas. Muir, who has bo ably filled that office for six years passed, will not again accept it, nor will it be an easy matter to replace him with the experience he has .gained and the warm interest he has always shown in the brigade, and it is matter for regret that the necessity for replacing him should exist. Let us hope that the 1 members in the future, as they have ! done in the j spite of every obstacle and be a credit i to the town and an institution to which i it may be considered honorable to I belong.