FIRE BRIGADES' DEMONSTRATION

Evening Post, Volume LXXXV, Issue 27, 25 February 1913, Page 2

FIRE BRIGADES' DEMONSTRATION

VIEWS OF. AN.". EXPERT. .Captain T. -Hugo, Inspector of Fire Brigades working under the Fire Boards Act, returned on Saturday night from Wanganui, where he witnessed the* New Zealand Fire Brigades' demonstration. 0 In an interview with a. Post reporter yesterday, he said that at the conference 126 brigades, with a total membership of 2500, were represented. There hos been a distinct improvement in the tofie of the conferences during the -laet'-twd^ years — that is, more practical and modern methods have been'.tgiven prominent place^in • the discussions, and at * Jast . peek's, gathering ■it vWfta decided to- de£l with the matter of the standardisation of' appliances— a matter which requires serious attention. . The Government is 'obtaining a set of patterns of the'smaller gear that will be of considerable assistaiice in obtaining that end. ' No fewer than 102' brigades took .part in thei competitions,, there being 694 entries for. the . ten separate events, and the contests were carried on without intermission until after '6 to.m. each day. It. was, said Captain Hugo,. only 1 the excellent management and businesslike methods adopted that' enabled thedemonstration to be carried out within the allotted time. In fact, Wanganui has set a Very high standard in the edh- 1 duct of the competitions. As was also the case at the two previous competi* ' tiohs (1909-11) the brigades working under Fire Boards control have again been most successful, for while they onty represented one-fifth of the total number of brigades entered for the 40 prizes offered „at they appropriated 21, or over one-half. The conduct of the firemen'" throughout was most exemplary— a credit to ' themselves and to their association! Captain Hugo' went, on to. say that the torchlight procession and illumination of fire briI gade appliances on the Monday night had -never before been equalled in. New Zealand ; it was a complete success. On the social' side the people of Wanganui laid themselves out to -entertain the visitors, and they "did so most thoroughly. - If there was one' thing which stood, out in ) Wanganui it was the great enthusiasm shown by the'eiti1 zens towards their town and its institu-, tione. - ■