FIRE BRIGADE CONFERENCE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XVI, Issue 4974, 13 March 1895, Page 2

FIRE BRIGADE CONFERENCE.

(By Telegraph,—tress Association) ! Hokitika, March 12. The United Five Brigades Confer" ence was held at the Town Hall to" . day. The Mayor of Hokitika wrote officially welcoming the delegates. The President, in his address, maintained that the existence of tho Association was responsible for tjgfc . great improvement in the of the Brigades, Thereport of the executive showed that the Newmarket and Stratford ' Brigades and the Napier Fire Police had joined the Association. The assets showed a balance of £394, as against £415 for the previous year, the decrease being accounted for by the expenses of the Napier demonstration, the Government grant being exceeded by £2l. The flourishing state of the Accident Assurance Society was noted. 3 The balance sheet' was adopted. A motion of Mr Smith (Christj church), admitting members to tho r Association from 18 years.instead of 12, was cirried, Mr Dunderdale (Palmerston) 1 moved that the ambulance events do s not count for the aggregate at tho competitions. This was carried. On the motion of Mr Robins (Hawera), a committee was appointed to prepare a fire brigades' s drill manual. 8 The penalty for open lids, Ac, was decreased to one second. . It was resolved to hold the no'A conference and demonstration W Christchurch. A telegram was received from Superintendent Hughes, Auckland, contradicting tho statement that the Brigade allowed the Asylum to be '> destroyed aud the water cut off to ' save a hotel. It was resolved in view of the charge made by the Government against the Brigade at Auokland, j the Conference wished to place on . record that no distinction between public and private property is recognised. I The President, Lieutenant Smith, , and the Secretary, were authorised to draft a letter to tho Minister of 3 Railways, setting out the position of 3 the Brigades' funds, and asking for . re-considoratioji of tho free-pass question, It was resolved to ask the Govern, ment to discontinue tho charge for inspecting fire engine boilers. The election of officers resulted as follows; President, Mr Robbins (Hawera); vice-Presidents, Messrs Stewart(lnvercargill)andßellringer ' (New Plymouth): Secretary, Mu Gilberd (Napier). 4jf The visitors were entertained at a " social" in tho Princess Theatre in the evening, Hokitika, Wednesday. The Accident Assurance Association, in connection with the Fire Brigades, sat last night. The balance sheet disclosed a credit of £2,880. ■ • Officers were elected as follows:—% President, Lieutenant Smith; VicePresidents, Capts. Sleaoh and Bellringer; Engineer, F, Pauling; Sec, J. Gilberd. A public social to the Brigades' delegates was held last evening, and was a great success',' about two hundred being present. There is fine weather for the picnic at Lake Mahinapua to-day. The Conference has now closed.