AKAROA VOLUNTEER FIRE BRIGADE

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume LIII, Issue 5534, 4 October 1929, Page 2

AKAROA VOLUNTEER FIRE BRIGADE

■— 1 — ANNUAL SMOiK'E 'CONCERT AND PRESENTATIONS. The Akaroa Volunteer Fire Brigade held their annual smoke concert at the station on Wednesday evening when the members of the Brigade and the Hon. Members held a very enjoyable evening. .Superintendent A. Macfarlane. was in the chair and welcomed the Hon. Members. He said he was only sorry there were not twice the number present.

A toast list was then gone through interspersed with musical items.'

Superintendent Macfarlane proposed the toast of "The King" which was drunk with musical honours.

Deputy Superintendent W. Pool proposed the toast of the "United Fire Brigades Association," and in doing so spoke ol the good work they had accomplished in uniting all the volunteer brigades in New Zealand.

Past Superintendent C. Stewart and Past President of the Association, in responding to the toast said the Association was established forty three years ago in Christchurch. In those days the conditions under which firemen were working were very bad indeed. At the pi'escnt time the Association had a membership o1 lisl brigades and' over 2000 firemen were associated with it. The United Fire Brigades Association had done much to improve the lire fighting appliances used in the Donv

Imion and were new grappling with | a h:g problem in the matter of t lie I wry high fire 10.»k.?s of New Zealand | to-day. 1 hi'se represented one and a half millions last year or piaciically ::l per head of ponulat io:i and was eas.ly the highest in the world. Ore s-h ir.e to reduce this loss which bad been adopted by the Association was io educate the young people as most of the (ires were caused through carelessness. Instruction was now being given in the schools and it was hoped in Ibis way New Zealand's lire losses would be l educ.'d. Superintendent Y\'atfs. was a very live Secretary of th;> Association and the Government and the Insurance Companies were now-

giving the Brigades a great deal mole assistance than they at one

time did. The Insurance Companies now naid about half the cost of the maintenance of volunteer brigades aiul KloOtl per annum to the United Fire Brigades Association.

Foreman S. W. Hayward proposed the toast of the Akaroa Borough Council and said they had to thank them for the assistance they had always given the Brigade. He was very sorry there 'was only His Worship the 'Mayor and one Councillor

present.

Deputy 'Superintendent and His Worship the Mayor responded. Deputy Superintendent Pool said he had been a member of the Borough Council for eight years and they had had a number of applications from the Brigade for assistance, including their social hall, which' had been granted and which had assisted them, materially. The Council had had hard times and they were spending ratepayers money and they cculd not do this indiscriminately.

His Worship the Mayor, in responding to the toast said he was - sorry there were so few honorary members present to acknowledge the gcod work the Brigade was doing. It was a voluntary institution and' they could look round the whole of New Zealand and see the good work the Brigades wore doing. The Council could not help the Brigade as much as they would' like to but they deserved all the support they could give them. He hoped the Council would be able to supply the rest of the uniforms. Now the Rest Rocm was killed they might 'be able to get them out of the money to be. 'devoted to the footpaths. He had to apologise for those who could' not attend. He said they had had a good' many difficult matters t'.> settle on the Council of late and full attendances. Members of the Council' wantfed to' go there with aa open mind and it was a" good thing to have a difference of opinion. "I should have been out of there long ago" laughingly continued the Mayor, "but when l it colives' round to election time no one will stand." (laughter). A lot of people talked' but they would not get into harness. He was quite sure the Council would' do their best and as things progressed they would do better. A few of their loans were expiiing shortly and this would relieve their finances. PRESENTATION O>F BARS AND MEDALS. His Worship then presented the Firemen with Bars and (Medals to which their terms of service entitled them. The presentations' were:— First Gold Bar, Past Superintendent C. Stewart, 27 years service and Life member of the Brigade. In acknowledging the Gold Bar, Past Superintendent Stewart said 1 several numbers would be entitled to Gold Bars for 20 years' service shortly and it showed the good comradeship which existed among members that they should have kept together for so many years (This is the first Gold Bar to /be presented to any member of the Akaroa Brigade). Deputy Superintendent W. Pool, 2 years' Bar, 21 years' service. Foreman S. W. Hayward, 2 years' Bar, 17 years' service. Secretary, H. Pool, 2 years' Bar, 10 years' service. Fireman Richard Gidd'ens, 5 years' service medal. PR-ATSE FO.R BRIGADE. His Worship the 'Mayor said no institution in the town deserved their thanks and support more than the Fire Brigade did. He had a lively recollection' of the New Zealand File Brigades' Conference when it was held in Akaroa and it had jheen a success from start to finish, j If the Brigade arranged for the : Dominion Conference to be held in |Akarca again he was sure! they would | get the hearty support of the whoile | town. It should be the aim of j young men to belong to the Brigade [and kept them occupied. He was 1 proud of' the Brigade (applause). | 'Superintendent A. Macfarlane said , lie was sorry there were not more C ouncillors and Hon. Members present. The Brigade were a really good l body of men and in some recent (ires had been really too daring. He quite understood' the Council were a bit up against it, but they would be able lo assist them later | on. The Fire Brigades' Conference had been a great success when held: .in Akaroa and if they applied for it !inlay they would get it again next year. FIRE H'KIGiADiES' CONFERENCE. | Pasl 'Superintendent C. Stewart said the Conference would be held in Whangarei Ibis year and the de- 1 m.ins!'. ation the following year. If ' M-; Brigade wore backed up by the I' \vr.-'i>."<ip ; e he was sure the con- !': ivn.-e couhl be held in Akaroa the ? l*i > 11 < wing- year and it- would be of, I g eat advantage to Akaroa. / c

The iMavor said h: had met Fire11,on all over New Zealand who had attended! the Aka'oa Conference and who had 1 spoken of it and the enjoyable time they had had. He hoped the Akai'oa people would make an efl'ort and 1 get the Conference in Akaroa in 1931.

iMr W. H. Candy proposed the toast of the Press and Messrs W. Jaeobson and T. E. McKenzie rcs-

ponded

Fireman S?cret :i r y 11. Pool proposed the toast of the ''Ladies" and Mr 11. Chapman replied.

Tn proposing - the toast of the "Chairman," Past Superintendent said 1 there was no function to which Mr Armstrorg- was invited which he did not attend and i ; f the towns-

people were a bit slack in. attending j-unccions the Mayor was not. He said those present very heartily appreciated' the Mayor's presence at the 1 unction.

Mr Armstrong 1 , in responding said he appreciated' the high honour con';CI r;;;! " p ° n hfm ' as 'Mayor of the town. iHe had always served in that ofr,cc to the best of his adility, but • o afraid it would not be long position to give, up the

fimu-Pif? 01 ' WaS onthusi 'astically lareweiled' upon, retiring.

During- the l evening- gone-s £££*& c - Clattei •—%*