NEW FIRE STATION

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume I, Issue 171, 6 July 1911, Page 11

NEW FIRE STATION

AT HASTINGS

>'< d'NDATION STONE LAYINI

Tin- m< of laying th? hHirniatton-stone of the new lire Station at Hastings was per formed l>’. tin- vx-rl.airman <>f the lire Hoard (Mr. J. A. Miller,', yesterday •afternoon, on the site at the corner of Lyndon road and Market street. About fifty persons were present, including the members of the Hastir/s Fire Hoard. Rev. P. Ramsay. Mr. E. if. Williams. a number of lanies. and a muster of 20 members «.f the Hastings Fire Brigade and Fire Police, under Supt. Brausch. AN IMPORTANT BUILDING. Mr. T. Styles, chairman of the Fire Board, in addressing the as -•■mblagc. said they had met to lav the foundation-stone of one of I tie most important buildings in Hastings, and th»- need for which had been felt for a very long time. He wished to congratulate Mr. J. A. Miller, late chairman of the Board, on his untiring energy in raising the loan for the purchase of a site and the erection of the building. The people of Hastings had reason to be proud of their Fire Brigade and Fire Police for the public services they rendered in the protection of and saving of private property. The new build-

ing would not only be a useful one, hut a decided ornament to the town, and a deep debt of gratitude was due to the architect (Messrs. Rush and James) for the splendid design they had submitted. The building would serve for very many years to come, and Inspector Hugo had said that the design was the best it had been his pleasure to inspect. The new building would he erected in brick, with three separate entrances for the fire engine. ladder, and salvage corps equipment respectively. The en-gine-room would be 40ft by 36ft. a watchman’s room, board room, ac commodation for married couple, a recreation room 36ft by 27ft. and ••very facility and convenience for the working of the brigade. The «ost of the building would be £2023 16, : the site cost £750. making a total of £2773 16 ami leaving a balance from the £3OOO loan of £226 4 - for furnishing purposes. This sum would be inadequate, but he felt sure that the board would see that the station was equipped on up-to-date lines. Notwithstanding this heavy expenditure. the rate for the year had >niy been increased by £2O. Last yenr the Hastings Borough Council -ontributed £353. the insurance companies £353. and the Government a subsidy of £5O. This year's estimates were made up as follows: Borough ( ouncil £363. insurance • ompanies £.363. and Government -übsidy <>f £5O, making a total of £776. Of this amount £ll4 had been set aside to provide the principal. interest, and sinking fund of the loan, showing the careful and business-like administration of the late chairman and the Fire Board as a whole. (Applause.) The inscription of Mr. Miller's name on the foundation-stone had been carried out when he was Mayor of the toWn. and he (the speaker) considered Mr. Miller’s services to the board fully entitled him to the honour. All concerned were to be congratulated on the addition of another fine building to mark the progress of Hastings. AN EPOCH MARKING EVENT.

Mr. A. A. George said the event marked an epoch in the history of Hastings, and showed what could j be done when a body of men work-1 ed together. It was only two< years last February since a vote' was taken on the question of es- 1 tablishing a Fire Board in Hast-, tngs. Since then the board had I been able to improve the fire service throughout and complete ar- ‘ rangements for the erection of a 1 magnificent building. When the;

poll was taken, qnly a bare major-! ity was necessary to decide the' question, but a few months later* the Act was amended to make a! three-fourths majority necessary., which showed the wisdom of taking! the vote at the right time. He I thought the people of Hastings were pleased that a fire board had; been established. Ho was glad to : have been a member of the board. ( because he had never been associ- > ated with a body of men who; worked more unitedly. Under the. old system of running fire brigades, no one knew what the service cost. \ but they knew now. and he was quite certain the cost was no more than previously, and people had the satisfaction of knowing they were getting their money’s worth. (Ap-J planse.) !

MR. J. A. MILLER. s Mr. J. A. Miller said he felt deeply honoured in being asked to* lay the foundation-stone of the new ; building. As was well known, it, was Mr. George who had initiated, the proposal to create a Fire Board in Hastings. He had stuck, to it. and had the satisfaction of! seeing the poll carried. He (the-

speaker) thought he was right in saying the members of the Fire • Board and Fire Police were glad! that the board had been establish-* ed. and were better looked after undtr the present system of management. When the board was first formed they had nothing to guide them. and they had to find ami feel their way along. The first y< ;:r ended with a credit balance of £l''". and he persuaded the board to acquire a site for a new station, and this was done at a cost of £750. At the end of the second year they still had a credit balance, and it was then decided io authorise Messrs. Rush and James to prepare plans for a new building. These were inspected by Mr. Hugo, who was so pleased with the design that he approved of them, and attached his name thereto before the meeting of the Board was called. Though considerable delay had been caused in obtaining ! a loan of £3o<W, they did not have I to go far out of Hastings for the J money, and lie desired to congratulate the Hastings Building Society on lending the money to the board. ' In conclusion. Mr. Miller said he considered it a great compliment, to be asked to lay the stone after: he had gone out of office. He felt, doubly honoured because, although j he had initiated many schemes during his term as Mayor, the laying of the foundation-stone of the new

j fire station was the only one with j which he had been able to link his ‘ name by an inscription. (Applause.) ! THE CEREMONY. i Mr. James, of the firm of Messrs. ! Rush and James, architects, said I that, in order that Mr. Miller might I faithfully carry out the ceremony * he had been requested to perform, j it was necessary that he should be I in possession of a proper instru- ; inent to enable him to officiate in ;a competent mariner. He (the speaker I therefore had much pleas- ! ure in asking his acceptance of a : miniature trowel, which, though small, was of exquisite design and ! highly tempered. Mr. James ex-

! pressed the wish that Mr. Miller ‘would treasure the gift as a me ; manto <>l one of the most important ' occasions in the history of the '• town. (Applause.) Mr. Miller having suitably itc- ' knowledge! the gift, proceeded to I perform the ceremony with the asi sistance of Mrs. Miller, at the con-, iclusiou of which he declared the stone to be truly and faithfully I laid. ANOTHER MEMENTO. Supt. Brausch. on behalf of the; members of 1 lie Fire Brigade, then 'asked Mrs. Miller t<> accept a gold bracelet (suitably inscribed) as a ' memento »>f the occasion, and as a i token of their best wishes for her ! future happiness and prosperity. I

; At the call of Supt. Brausch,! three cheers were given for Mr. j Miller and a further round for Mrs. j Miller. | Mr. Aliller thanked the members; of the brigade for their kindly act, j and the sentiments expressed by! Supt. Brausch. The proceedings then terminated. ‘ THE STONE. j The foundation-stone hears i-.e: following inscription " This stone| ’ was laid by J. A. Miller, Mayor of’ Hastings. for the Hastings Fire Board. May. 1911. Chairman. J. A. Miller ; members. Messrs. T. B, Ching. A. A. George. J. J. Mallard. H. Marshall. D. O’Reilly, and T. Styles.”