WELCOME HOME

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume 53, Issue 32460, 28 July 1944, Page 5

WELCOME HOME

PTE. E. F. PETT HONOURED PAEROA FIRE BRIGADE GREETINGS FROM MEMBERS A social evening was held at the Paeroa Fire Brigade 'Station on Tuesday to welcome home from the Pacific Fireman E. F. Pett. The gathering was presided over by 'Superintendent W. J. Moore who expressed the pleasure of members of the brigade upon seeing the guest of the evening in his old place at a meeting of the brigade. Trior to the function, Fireman Pett was brought to the Fire 'Station by car and was greeted at the door by the members of the brigade drawn up in two lines as a guard of honour. Above the door stood a large sign bearing the words “Welcome Home.”

Present at the function were His Worship the Mayor, who in that capacity welcomed Fireman *Pett and Cr. E. -L. 'Shaw, member of the Fire Council and an ex-fireman of the brigade. Apologies for absence were received from Cr. J. Walmsley, chairman of the Fire Council, Cr. A. 0. H. Allison, member of the 'Fire Council, Mr R. S. Nicol and Mr A. A. Jenkinson. Contact Maintained In proposing the toast of the guest of the evening, Deputy-,Supt. E. W. Moore said that none of the members of the Paeroa Brigade who went overseas were ever forgotten by those who carried on at home. Contact was regularly maintained by letters which the secretary was instructed to write. The Paeroa Brigade, he said, was known throughout the length of the Dominion a fact which was due to its superintendent, Mi’ W. J. Moore. Everywhere one went in New Zealand, said Mr Moore, members of the fire service referred to Superintendent Moore who had made this brigade so well known. Fireman Pett suitably replied. The toast of the Paeroa Fire Council was proposed by Fireman Tomich and responded to by Cr. E. L. 'Shaw who gave many reminiscences of the days of his own fire service when the brigade had to use the greatest efforts in order to get anything it felt necessary in the interests of the town’s fire protection. To-day, he said, the council was anxious to do all within the bounds of reason to meet the requirements of the brigade. Mr 'Shaw spoke of the problem of the fireman who had clothes damaged through having to turn out to fires at times when fully dressed in his personal clothes, being unable to change into uniform. This was a matter that required thought in the future. Auxiliary Firemen

A toast to the auxiliary firemen who had come forward to assist during the emergency period and to take the places of members serving overseas was proposed by Mr E. L. (Shaw, his® remarks 'being supported by the Superintendent and Foreman C. W. Malcolm. The latter said that it had been a pleasant duty to train such a body of men, his only regret being that the interesting equipment of pumps and modern equipment had not come to hand until the majority of the corps had been disbanded. 'Such interesting equipment would have provided these keen men with material to work - with worthy of their enthusiasm and efficiency. The toast was replied to by the five remaining auxiliaries attached to the brigade, Messrs D. McWatters, E. E. Faulkner, W. C. Strong, R. Nield and L. F. Morgan. Fireman E. E. Faulkner, supported by Supt. and Dep.l Supt Moore, proposed a toast to the secretary of the brigade, Foreman C. W. Malcolm, references being made to the quality of the work done by the secretary over a number of years. What he termed an unusual surprise in all his years of public life was a toast proposed to His Worship the Mayor. This toast was proposed by Foreman Malcolm who spoke of the lifetime interest which Mr Edwards had in Paeroa. For many years Mr Edwards had shown a friendly interest in all the activities of the brigade and was always a welcome visitor at its functions. Mr Edwards in replying spoke in appreciative terms of the work of the brigade and outlined the most recent proposals for the increased efficiency of the fire service as a whole. The expected early arrival of an up-to-date fire engine and equipment was, he said, a mater of great import and one which should give satisfaction to all.