FIRE BRIGADES.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 55, Issue 117, 27 February 1935, Page 6

FIRE BRIGADES.

THE ANNUAL CONFERENCE. LONG-SERVICE STARS AWARDED. (Per Press Association.) BLENHEIM- This Day. The fifty-sixth annual conference of the United Fire Brigades Association has concluded. The election of officers resulted as follows: President, Superintendent H. E. Folks, Devonport (unopposed); immediate past president, Deputy-Super-intendent J. It. Wilson, of. Milton; vice-presidents, nine nominations, Secretary D. L. Ferguson, of Gisborne and Deputy-Superintendent A. White, of Greymouth; withdrawing, Superintendent A. Oaig, of Hamilton (senior) and Superintendent A. J> Bennett, of Nelson; treasurer, Secretary C. A/Osborne, of Onehunga (unopposed); secretary, Captain T. J. Watts, of Newmarket (unopposed). At the invitation of the President, Superintendent J. J. Salmon (Dunedin) presented gold stars, denoting 25 years' continuous service, to the following: Firemen G H. Hannay (Alexandra), E. Horve (Dannevirke), G. Jesson (Eketahuna), E t O'Neill (Sumner), and C. L. Prestney (Rangiora). Superintendent jSalmon declared that the gold star was_ the highest honour after the Valour medal, and it was a slight enough token in recognition of devotion of such a lengthy period to a

fine service. / Invitations to the association's .1936 conference were extended by Hastings, Akaroa and Tauranga and were received with impartial applause. In due course individual brigades will be circularised and invited to express their preference. The fire brigades' demonstration' opens to-day, but will be interrupted to-morrow, when all the visitors will be taken on a cruise of Marlborough Sounds in the ferry steamer Tamahine, which has been chartered for pose.