“BEATEN BY CONDITIONS”

Hawera Star, Volume LIV, 5 March 1935, Page 4

“BEATEN BY CONDITIONS”

Fire Brigade Team Gain Experience at Blenheim WATER PRESSURE VERY LOW HAWERA WIN TWO SHIELDS The experience gained by “ members i of the Hawera Fire Brigade team at the national demonstration at Blenheim last week will prove invaluable according to a statement made by Foreman E. Hart in. conversation with a “Star” reporter this morning. The team members w r ere young in demon*stratum experience, he said, but they worked very well, had clean runs and received no penalties. “Unfortunately, we w r ere beaten by conditions,” he said, “as the water pressure was so different from what we were used to.” The Hawera team had practised under conditions whereby the water was available immediately the man. on the lead had finished his run and gave tht- signal, but Foreman Hart said that at Blenheim there was very little pressure, which caused some delay and upset calculations somewhat. However, he had ho complaints to make and Superintendent Morrison had also expressed satisfaction at the result. One good result would come out of the demonstrations, said Foreman Hart, and that was a revival of district demonstrations as far as Taranaki was concerned. As a result of the visit to Blenheim, the Taranaki brigades were enthusiastic that there should be a district revival in Taranaki. The value of district demonstrations w f as evidenced by the fact that Carterton and Petone, which participated in district competitions did so well at Blenheim. Another aspect of district and other demonstrations was the fact that it brought brigades to a higher degree of efficiency. Two shields were won by the Hawera brigade at Blenheim, the Camel Shield for the three-man motor event, which the brigade has held since its presentation j and the Manual Shield for the aggregate points in the one, two and three-man events. The latter shield has been in existence since 1898, and Hawera has won it in 1905, 1926, 1929 and 1935. The members of the team, Foreman E. Hart and Firemen L. Warner, J Peacock and R. Gates returned to Hawera last night. _ Superintendent Morrison will remain in Blenheim until next w’eek. At the railway station the team was welcomed home by the Mayor, Mr J. E. Campbell and the chairman of the Fire Board, Mr L. A. Bone, who extended congratulations on behalf of the town and the board to the team on its success at Blenheim.