SWEARING-IN

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 101, 30 April 1937, Page 6

SWEARING-IN

FIRE POLICE

NEARLY 40 YEARS' SERVICE

The annual swearing-in ceremony and moke concert of the Wellington Volunteer Fire Police, founded in 1898, took place last night.

In proposing the toast of the Wellington Fire Board, Deputy Captain F. J. Ballinger remarked on the progress made in the construction of the new central'station,' which, besides providing accommodation for many more mci; than at present, would be the nerve-centre of the Wellington district alarm system. '. He enumerated the various types of. alarms, not forgetting the robot system, one of which was responsible recently for holding in check an outbreak in one of Wellington's "big risks" pending the arrival of the brigade. ;.-'■ . . .

''Though as a board we are condemned to adjudicate on the Five Board, and though we have been handicapped regarding the cost of the new station, the members of the board have a live individual interest in the members of the brigade and fire police," said Mr. N. Nelson, chairman of the board, in reply. "We are confident that the station will" be the best in Australia and New Zealand. Though it cost a lot, the financial arrangements are such that the whole cost will be repaid at the end of twenty years."

Toasting the Wellington Fire Bri-{ gade, Mr. G. W. Key said that the city yens of Wellington should be proud or the fine body of men in the brigadu. It was splendidly equipped, trained., and led, and'maintained a high standard of efficiency, despite the fact th/it it was many times called out unnecessarily by malicious false alarms. .»' In reply, Deputy Superintendent J. Greeks "thanked the members of ~'thp Fire Police for their interest in.fthe social side. The functions had ibeen held since the inception of the cprps, and had been responsible for thy 3 inculcation of a prevailing spirit of good will. The volunteer corps had b/ien in active existence since the first year of the century. At all hours 'of the day or night, the volunteer cctfps was at the people's bidding. He rt/marked that, unlike the Israelites, l/.ie Firo Brigade did not have to vw.it forty years before they entered /the Promised Land. But they had been waiting twelve years. The telephone alarm system in operation in Wellj/.igton was far ahead of any other in fhe Southern Hemisphere. The toast of. the Wellington Volunteer Fire Police was.proposed by Mr. Marcus Marks. The polSce, he said, did not come under the g/iare of publicity, but nevertheless thejy did splendid work in salvage and protection. Mr. W. T. Hildreth, the/ only foundation member present, suitably replied. He remarked that onty two of the foundation members. Captain J. Wright and himself, were alive,; Thirty-three had passed on. ■ ,' ' ' , Lieutenant W. J. Churchill proposed the toast of the Wellington City Council ■ 7 ■ ' ■ In reply, the Maycifr (Mr. T, C.A. Hislop) said that hf had particular pleasure to find airing the members of the Fir e Police ..-representatives of its early days. Tl»3 service was one with splendid,traditions. _ ■ Other toasts included "The Wellington Eree Ambulamce" (Lieutenant i. W. Boyd), "The and Visitors, and "The .Entertainers."- '■, ■ ■ , : . . Items were cor/tributed during1 the course ,of -.the/eWentag^-bjrWKsafs. TW. Bohlson, B."WiUiams. X;;. Kigby, I. Smith, G. Sutherland;' B. Sproule, and E. Dean. " '■'':'< . ■■.' ~■ '. .' "■"■' ' [''';':■/■■