THE FIRE POLICE.

Evening Post, Volume LXVIII, Issue 95, 19 October 1904, Page 5

THE FIRE POLICE.

* The annual meeting of the Wellington Fire Police was held in the City Council Chambers last evening, His Worship the Mayor, Mr. J. G. W. Aitken, M.H.R., occupying the chair. There was a large attendance of members. i'he Secretary, in his annual report, stated that the corps now has a membership of thirty-one. The decision of the committee to make the membership fee 5s per year resulted in the sum of £5 11s being added to the funds. During the past, year the corps waß called out to 101 fires, the average attendance at each of the firee being eighteen. The majority of the members have now been provided with coats as well as caps, the cost being defrayed out of the fluids. It is pointed out that the funds will now be greatly reduced as the Wellington Underwriters Association has declined to assist the corps in the future. Thanks are extended to Captain Hugo for the assistance and advice he has given the organisation. The balance-sheet shows that the sum of £26 13s was carried forward from last year. The receipts for the year just closed totalled £63 8s 3d, t and the expenditure £26 ss, leaving a balance of £37 3s 3d. Against this, how-, ever, there are outstanding liabilities amounting to £30 0s 6d. The Chairman, who was late in arriving, explained that he had been detained at the House, as the Fire Brigades Bill was on. He stated that progress had been reported, and gave it aa his opinion that the Bill was dead for this session. Dealing with the work of the corps, Mr. Aitken conveyed the thanks of the City Council and the citizens to the corps for its labours, and assured members that their work was thoroughly appreciated, although very little was said about it. He had often heard members of the City Council praise the corps. The adoption of the report and balancesheet" was agreed to. The following officers were elected for the ensuing year: — Captain, Mr. J. Wright; Lieutenants, Messrs. T. Ballinger, E. Kirkland, and W. Hildreth j^Treasuver, Mr. F. Cohen; Secretary, Mr. J. Dawson.