RANDOM REMINDER

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31596, 6 February 1968, Page 19

RANDOM REMINDER

PURSUIT

A recent issue of the Australian “Bulletin” gave prominence to an article reporting a new understanding between Roman Catholics and the Masonic Order. It was a pity that the article was not printed sooner, and brought to the attention of masons in a small country town in New Zealand, and the members of the local volunteer fire brigade.

There was a fire in the Masonic Lodge, and the fire bell tolled a call to arms. Five members of the volunteer brigade attended, rushed on to their machine, started up, swung out the gate and turned right. The fire at the lodge was burn-

ing briskly, some 100 yards to their left. The error was compounded by the enthusiasm of the brigade, all five members of which, by strange chance, happened tn be Roman Catholics. For the engine was driven to the limit of its speed, and the siren was sounded without respite from the time the machine was on the move.

The noise of the motor, the deafening wail of (be siren, the rush of wind, and the excitement of the fire-fighters all contributed to the sorry fact that they did not hear another siren, coming from a traffic inspector’s patrol car. The inspector was in hot pursuit. Not to remonstrate

with the firemen on their excessive speed, but to suggest to them that if they had any interest in quenching the flames, they would be well advised to make an about-turn. It was not until the fire engine was well out of town and approaching a well-known holiday resort that the inspector was able to draw alongside and halt the pell-mell pursuit of nothing. The location of the fire, the personnel of the fire brigade contributed to some misunderstandings among observers. But one has to make the best of things ... it was a jolly good fire, and spectacularly fast turn-out.