FIRE BRIGADES

Evening Star, Issue 21966, 28 February 1935, Page 7

FIRE BRIGADES

FIRST DAY OF DEMONSTRATION [Per United Press Association.] BLENHEIM, February 27. The United Fire Brigades’ Association’s demonstration event, for which brigadesmen all over the dominion have been zealously training for the best part of a year, was opened this morning. After a cool night the weather w r as brilliant when the proceedings were got under wap? after 9 o’clock, but later in the morning the sky partially clouded over and a steady easterly breeze kept the conditions temperate. The demonstration is the first national fixture held since 1929 and more than ordinary interest centres in it on account of the probable rise in the interval of new champions in different departments of the fire service work. The proceedings opened with the oneman dry coupling event, which is a memorial to the secretary, Mr Gubercl, who served the United Fire Brigades Association in a secretarial capacity for a number of years. In the Gilherd Memorial, Hastings, represented by Fireman N. Muir, did the excellent time of 51 l-ssec. Rotorua (Fireman F. Stewart) was second ; Carterton (Fireman H. Matson) third, Hawera (Foreman E. A. Hart) fourth, Petone (Fireman A. fifth, and Otorohanga (Fireman C, Knox) sixth. The first three men broke the previous New Zealand record of 55sec set up at Hokitika, but the event this year is somewhat different and the times cannot be quite fairly compared, as at Hokitika the hose was in the coil and on this occasion it was “ on the bight,” a quicker method. Nevertheless, the work w r as regarded as excellent in the case of the placed men. The following is the formal result:— First prize, £4 and gold medal; second, £3; third, £2; fourth, £1; total, £lO. Hastings, 51 l-ssec, 6 shield points 1 Rotorua, 53 sec, 4 points 2 Carterton, 53sec, 4 points 3 Hawera, 57 2-ssec, 3 points 4 Petone, 58sec, 2 points ° Otorohanga, 59sec, 1 point ... 6 Also started: Waipukurau, Lower Hutt, Hokitika, Birkenhead, Mosgie), Oobden, Hanmer. Springs, Featherston, Koponga, Blenheim, Morrinsville, Foxton, Cambridge, Gore, Kumara, Te Awamutu, Patea, Ashburton, Oamaru, Northcote, Te Kuiti, Waitara, Matamata, Geraldine, Waimate, New Brighton, Lyttelton, Nelson, Tapanui, Raetihi, Devonport, and Dannevirke. In the Fireman, Hose, Reel and Ladder (modern) event Caterton (Fireman H. Matson, captain Deputy Superintendent D. J. Churcnouse, Foreman G. Steffert, and Firemen J. Finn and D. Jackson) defeated Hawera, who won at the last demonstration in 1929. Gore was third. The formal result was as follows: Carterton, 45 3-ssec 1 Hawera, 47 l-ssec - Gore, 49sec 3 Stratford and Dannevirke, 49 2-ssec (dead heat) ••• 4 Greymouth, 49 4-ssec 6 Also started: Otorohanga, Tapanui, Waimate, Lower Hutt, Hokitika, Petone, Te Kuiti, Whangarei, Taumaruuni, Waipukurau, Hastings, Dargaville, Waihi, Dannevirke, Devonport, Nelson, To Aroha, Reefton. With two events complete the leading Championship Shield points arc : Carterton 24 Hawera Gore Stratford ... ... (,■ Dannevirke ... 7 Hastings ... ” In the unfinished two-men hose and stand-pipe event with half a dozen teams still to compete, the West Coast Brigades bid fair to fill the leading positions. Kumara, 36seo, has the leading tune, followed by Cohden 36 l-ssec, and Otira Railway 37 l-ssec. Then come Taumarunui 37 2-ssec, Hawera and Te Aroha 3S3sec. In. the three-men hose and stand-pipe with instantaneous coupling, winch is about half complete, Te Awamutu loads with 31 l-ssec, followed by Otorohanga 33 3-ssec, and Pukekohe 34 l-ssec. The contests will he continued on Friday, to-morrow being devoted to a cruise in the _ Sounds on the ferry steamer Tamahine.