FIRE BRIGADES’ CONFERENCE.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XI, Issue 63, 2 March 1921, Page 5

FIRE BRIGADES’ CONFERENCE.

YESTERDAY’S DISCUSSIONS. ADDRESS BY INSPECTOR HUGO. The conference of the United Fire! Brigades’ Association was resumed in Napier yesterday afternoon. Mr C. ( Goodwin presided. Inspector Hugo gave a short address to the conference. He was received | with applause. He said the conference had come to some momentous decis-, ions, and had taken a good step, and ! one that should have far-reaching effects in appointing Secretary T. J. ! Watts to the position of travelling; superintendent. Mr Watts was an : energetic man who knew his business, ; but he had a hard task ahead of him. ' He went into matters of electricity and , water reticulation, and mentioned that fire waste in New Zealand each year amounted to £500,000. and the Do-1 minion would have to do something to ; prevent such large figures. The dis- ( cushion held by the Accident Assurance : branch had been most interesting. In ordinary use he advised that the. fire motor driver should adhere to rules of ; the road. In cases of fire only should ; the siren be sounded for a warning to . clear the road. If these two things were not observed the public in the first place considered the driver, recless. and in the second they got used to the siren anu u ook no notice of it. The inspector was accorded a hearty vote of thanks. The president said that many brigades had had little confidence in Inspector Hugo when he was appointed by the Government, but he had come through admirably, and now had ■ the confidence of all the brigades (applause.) COMPETITION MATTERS. The Shield Committee reported that points would count in the manual shield from events 1,2, 6,7, 8 and 10, and in the high pressure shield from events 2,3, 4,5, 8 and 10. For the Simplex Shield event 4, for the Merryweather Shield event 5, and for the grand aggregate shield from all events except 9 and 10. Rules adopted for the establishment of a supply depot, set out that the depot would be run for the benefit of affiliated brigades only, all goods would be of a standard design, and the depot would not be run for a profit. The following committee was set up to watch the demonstrations, and recommend to the next conference any desirable alterations in gear, boots, or uniforms, etc.: —Secretary Ross (Dunedin), Sub-superintendent Riddell (Port Ahuriri), Deputy Superintendent Blake (Christchurch), Superintendent Barnard (Palmerston North), and Superintendent Lucas (St. Kilda). The suggestion was from the Hastings Fire Brigade, and any alterations decided on or regulations made, will remain in vogue for three years. A motion by Captain Carson (Lyttelton V.F.8.): “That in future demonstrations the wired-on couplings be used was defeated. A motion to run all dry events in pairs against time was withdrawn, a delegate explaining that the best in each team would run against each other, and a fifth of a second would put a man out. The invitation of Superintendent Barnard to hold the next conference at Palmerston North was accepted. The election of officers for the ensuing year resulted : —President, Captain C. A. Lucas. St. Kilda; vice-presidents, senior, Superintendent W. H. Barnard, Palmerston North, junior, Captain H. E. Greathead, Eketahuiia; treasurer. Secretary C A. Osborne, Onehunga; auditor, Mr P. R. Fraser, Auckland (re-elected). ACCIDENT SOCIETY. The annual meeting of the U.F.B.A. Accident. Society was concluded in Napier yesterday. Mr S. Y. Canton prosit tied. The election of officers resulted:—President, Supt. J. Carter, Sumner; vice-presidents, Sec. E. S. Cross, tiam-1 ilton; Supt. J. il. Riddell, Spit; treas- : urer, Sect. C. A. Osborne, Onehunga;! secretary, Captain T. J. Watts, Newmarket ; auditor, Mr P. R. Eraser, Auckland. Captain Williams (Mount Eden) was appointed a trustee vise Mr J. Townley, deceased. it was pointed out by the president and secretary that men who had been drawing on the accident funds up till a few days ago were going to take part in the demonstrations. It appeared as if they had been malingering, and if they were fit to take part they should not have been drawing on the funds. Unless a doctor’s certificate or fitness was produced they should not be allowed to compete. Members concurred.