FIRE BRIGADES' ASSOCIATION.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 9155, 12 July 1895, Page 5

FIRE BRIGADES' ASSOCIATION.

(PRESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.) WELLINGTON, July 11. A deputation from the United Fun Brigade Assuciat.on, consisting of Messrs B. C. Bobbins, the President (riawera), T. D. Cummins (Wanganui), Bellinger the VicePrusidonHNew Plymouth), and Gilberd the Secretary (Nj pier)) waited on the fremier, the Minister for Lands, the Minister for Railways, and Mr Carroll this evening, in reference to the annual grant to the Association. The deputation was introduced by Mr Pirani, and the following members were present in support of the request of the deputation :—Messrs Maslin, Hogg, MoNab, J. W. Kelly, T. Duncan, W. Kelly, Hall, Joyce, Crowtber, Graham, Carnell, Willis, L*ug. Flatman, Collins, Morrison, Millar, »nd Harris. Mr Robbius explained the position at considerable length, poiuticg out that without a grant and railway passes the brigades could nut hold their competition aud conference. He explained that a mistaken idea was current in regard to the (funds of the Association, which amounted to only £300, the other amount of £300 on hand belonging to the accident fund contributed privately by the brigades and their members. Several of the deputation and members of the House Btrougly urged the claims of the brigades upon the Premier and pointed especially to the services rendered without reward in saving Government property from destruction.

The Premier replied that the Government wero prepared to contribute £ for £ towards the expenses of the Association, pro viding tho railway fares were paid, but, from the balance sheets of the Association, he thought the Government contributed too large a proportion of the expense of tbe demonstration compared to the amount givon by tho brigades themselves. The deputation pointed out that tho balance-sheet did not disclose the whole of the cost to the brigades, as most of the latter paid some £30 each towards their delegates' expenses, and some £600 was raised in the town where the demonstration was held.

The Premier considered that a contribution of £5 from each local body where a fire brigade existed would pay half the expenses of the affair, aud that would be a fair manner of solving the difficulty. Shortly before the House rose to-night the Premier was handed a requisition signed by the Speaker and fifty-five members of the House, asking that the old arrangements in regard to the Fire Brigades' Association may be continued, viz., payment of £250 subsidy and free railway passes.