FIRE BRIGADES’ ASSOCIATION

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27666, 24 May 1955, Page 17

FIRE BRIGADES’ ASSOCIATION

PROVINCIAL CONFERENCE AT WAIMATE (From Our Own Reporter) WAIMATE, May 23. Delegates from 11 brigades attended the annual conference of the Canterbury Provincial Fire Brigades’ Association, held at Waimate. Brigades represented were Christchurch City, Ashburton, Kaiapoi, New Brighton, Rangiora, Lyttelton, Sumner, Temuka, Fairlie, Pleasant Point and Waimate. Delegates and observers were welcomed by Chief Fire Officer C. W. Englefleld on behalf of the Waimate brigade. Waimate borough and county were associated with the welcome by the Deputy-Mayor (Mr G. R. Watters), and by Mr H. J. Stowell on behalf of the county council. The welcome was acknowledged by the president of the association (Mr F. Rouse, of New Brighton). Presenting the thirty-ninth annual report, Mr House said seven brigades had been represented in a successful demonstration at Ashburton on Labour Day, and he thanked the Ashburton brigade for hospitality. The Fuller Fire Elag contest, an annual event for boy scouts, had been conducted by the association at Kaiapoi on March 19. The election of officers resulted: president, Chief Fire Officer R. W. McMillan (Temuka); vice-presidents, Fireman-driver W. H. Strong (Christchurch City), Fireman-driver R. M. Counihan . (Kaiapoi); secretarytreasurer, W. R. Fitchett; trustees, Captain W. H. Stokes (New Brighton), Lieutenant L. G. Peters (New Brighton); auditor, Chief Officer L. B. Osmond (Christchurch City); Brigade representatives, Third Officer W. B. Hardwick (Waimate); secretary, C. J. Beckett (Lyttelton); Deputy Chief Officer, S. Freddy (Ashburton), Fourth Officer C. Taylor (Waimate). The conference accepted an invitation to stage the annual demonstration at Waimate on Labour Day. The interprovincial contest between the Canterbury and West Coast associations will be held at New Brighton, and the 1956 annual conference at Temuka.

Two new brigades, established at Oxford and Cust, will be invited to join the association. Power to accept new member brigades is to lie with the executive, not the president as formerly. The rules of the association are to be revised and reprinted. After statements had been made that the Temuka brigade had not received a cup which had been awarded, and that a shield held by the Lyttelton brigade from 1949 to 1954 had not been engraved, it was decided on the motion of Chief Officer C. W. Tyler (Rangiora) that trophies should be presented to the winners, returned for engraving, and then sent to the winners within two months.

At the conclusion of the conference more than 100 brigadesmen and their wives were guests of the Waimate brigade at a social function.