THE VOLUNTEER FIRE BRIGADE AND THE BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XV, Issue 4764, 4 July 1894, Page 2

THE VOLUNTEER FIRE BRIGADE AND THE BOROUGH COUNCIL.

• >At tho Mnsterton .■•Borough. .Council V;' last evening, OriDixbn nuvedj inaccbrdanco y,'itli notice gifeiv that tho motionagaihst m'aMngra..grant,\tb the.Mastei'toh' 'Yolnnteer Fii'e.Biv gade.be.rescinded and that ilib.'.snm of£lo be voted... Ho understood, when tho.niotion was passed, that a grant would be illegal, Ho, was. of opinion after reading the Act that the Council could contribute towards any Fire Brigade, The Volunteers did good work, and were ready to every call, and he thought deserved support. He knew- froni practical experience, that it was disheartening not to receive any support from the Council, and should' likb to see; a small sum granted. Ho hoped the Council would rescind the motion. The grant need •'■ not' bo an: annual one, • ,■;

Cr .Hessoy seconded. tho motion. He should like.to see tho Volunteer Brigade get a little assistance, and he thought it would be legal to grant, it,' ■,,-. '.■ ■ ~' -\- ■■■• '■'.:' Tho Mayor said that his meaning was that the Council had no control over the Volunteer Brigade, and'on, these grounds ho thought a,grant would be illegal.. He was prepared to support the Fire Brigade privately and although not altogether in favour of a grant, if the Crs liked to rescind the motion and make a grant he would riot oppose it. : Ho was of opinion that the two Brigades 'should amalgamate. Cr Perry expressed surprise at Cr Dixon's stand on this matter. Cr Dixon posed as an economist and professed to bo against any expenditure on Fire Brigade matters, and now wished to increaso the expenditure by making a grant to.a.body] outside the Council's control. j

Cr Hornblow agreed with Or Pony's remarks. While sympathising with tho Brigade, and being prepared to support it as' a private individual, he could not support .a grant. If tho Borough. Council mado a grant this year, it would be the thin end of the wedge, and the thing would come up again every year. He also thought that-private subscriptions would then fall off. There was very little clmuco he thought of tho two Brigades unitin ff-

Cr Chamberlain was of opinion that the Volunteer Brigade would lose more than tlioy gained if the Council made a small grant, because subscribers would stop giving, if the Brigade was taken under the Council's wing. Cr Dixon in reply said that tie Five Insurance Companies ought to support the Fire Brigades, but if the Council did anything it should servo bothalike. As regards the public support, it was not much, and thore were so many calls on business men that it was like getting blood out of a stone. He was against any Fire Brigade expenditure, but if the Council supported tho Municipal Brigado they should also encourage the volunteers with a small grant. This was his solo reason for introducing, the matter, . CrHessoy said tho Brigade was in straightened circumstances and ho should support Cr Dixon.

The motion was then put and lost, Cr Dixon and Hessey only voting for it.

The subject was allowol, .at this stage, to drop.