THE FIRE BRIGADE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XXI, Issue 1251, 18 June 1864, Page 2

THE FIRE BRIGADE.

At eight o'clock on Wednesday evening, in pursuance of a resolution addressed to the Chairman of the City Council by the Volunteer Fire Brigade and others resident in the city, a public meeting was held in Bonnington's rooms, Cathedral-square. * The chair was occupied by Mr. J. Ollivieb, who said that in compliance with a requisition addressed to him the meeting had been convened that evening. He would first, under the circumstances, read a brief extract from the report of the committee elected at the. public meeting held lately at the Town Hall. He thought the expressions of the letter which he had received would be of sufficient importance to be read to the meeting in order that they might see that the views the committee had arrived at showed that no antagonistic feeling •xisted in their minds in reference to the Volunteer Brigade. [The Chairman then read the passages referred to.] He sincerely trusted that nothing would be said in an angry feeling in reference to the part any one had taken at the last meeting, which had, he believed, been actuated by the honest desire to olfer co-operation on behalf of the people of Christchurch in the improvement of the Brigade, which would be clearly and solely for the public benefit. They would hear what were the feelings of the gentlemen who called the present meeting, and he -trusted that every speaker who addressed the meeting that night would be allowed a fair and impartial hearing, and that there would be no attempt Ito prevent the expression of private opinions. He hop«d the result of this meeting would be the production of a uniform and harmonious feeling amongst them for the protection of property. . He repeated that there was a great debt of gratitude due to those who had taken an interest in the property of the public, and that their services had been of that character which the meeting could not say too much in favour of. (Applause.) He called upon Mr. Piper to address the meeting. Mr. Piper said that it was quite unnecessary for him to preface the report which he had brought from the Fire Brigade with any remarks. He would, only say that if attention was paid to the report the meeting would see how far the Brigade had anticipated -the necessary requirements. He then went on to read a very lengthy report drawn up by the members of the Christchurch Volunteer Eire Brigade, and proceed also to refer to certain minutes of the committee meetings of that body, showing the exertions made by them.

Mr. Worth then addressed the meeting. After making a few remarks as to the report which had been;read by Mr. Piper, he said it did not give him any amount of pleasure to be called upon to vindicate his own cause and that of the Fire Brigade; still it was necessary that it should be done, because the public had been misled as to the object of the former meeting at the Town Hall. As the Chairman intimated, a meeting had biien appointed for the avowed object of establishing a new brigade, but had the public been aware that such was its aim they would never have given their support to the movement. They were all aware that at the last public meeting the opinion of the public was to strengthen the present brigade, and they were also well aware that the efforts of the conveners were directed to establish a rival brigade, He stated this without fear of contradiction, because he knew it to be a fact. The members of the present brigade well knew that it was impossible for two brigades in rivalry to work together; they knew it was impossible to-promote or carry out the system of checking jires and benefit the town generally if any other company was established; but upon canvassing he had found that the public were not acquainted with the fact that it was intended to establish another brigade, but believed that the aim of the conveners of the late meeting was to assist the present brigade in its organization. If the committee which had been appointed would not settle down in unason with them, he was sure they would have to resign their post as firemen. The present brigade had done their utmost to organize and establish a code of rules for their particular working; and he thought that the first steps taken by the committee appointed at the late meeting should have been to put themselves in communication with the members of the Volunteer Eire Brigade. (Hear, hear-) If they had done so, the brigade would have given them all the information they required, and would only have been too ready to give

them any assistance in carrying out, not what the committee had wanted and had tried for, but that which the brigade had tried for the four previous years. In the report which Mr. Piper'had read, it was stated that a code of laws had been sent to the Provincial Council; these had not been taken notice of, or if so, were not in the manner the brigade would have liked. If proper notice had been taken of them at the time, the confusion so wrongly attributed to the brigade at the late fire would have been prevented. Great fault had been found in the person of their Superintendent. The brigade had deliberated on the appointment of a head, and had chosen to select a

practical working man ; and he thought that a practical working man was more suited towards the carrying out of the aim the brigade had in view than a person who might be appointed with a large salary, who was totally unacquainted with the duties of such an office. In coming to the conclusion that it was neccessary to appoint a head, the brigade hud appointed one who afterwards resigned for reasons of his own, and then one was appointed in his stead, who had been since handled wrongly and unjustly. Two or three little circumstances would prove that the head of the brigade did not deserve the imputations which were cast on him. On the occasion of the late fire he observed a number of individuals go and knock down this place and that before they knew they were justified in doing so, and the Superintendent of the brigade asked them to desist, but they refused to accede to the request. He then went to the Superintendent of Police, and asked him to have these persons removed, because they were doing what was wrong. The Commissioner of the Police, he was sorry to say,—(it may have been owing to the confusion of the moment or the smallness of his force)—turned round, and said—" Not to bother him, and to mind his own business." In many other instance! the Superintendent directed his firemen to

do that which the public would really not allow them to do then, was the head of the brigade to prevent this, when lie found that the mob would not do as he ordered them ? Why then was he handled in the way he was ? It was a hard thing for the brigade ; for when the public speak against the officers of the brigade, they speak against the members of that body,'because they had appointed as their head the man who, in their opinion, was best suited to direct them. (Applause.) The conveners of the late meeting intended, under the impulse of the moment, being as it were, stimulated by the accident of the late fire, to establish another brigade, Me was sorry to say that such was their intention. If, at the late fire, they had meant to carry out what they now cry for, they should not have touched that which they were forbidden to lay hands to. He was not present himself when No. 1 engine was brought to the scene of the calamity. For the last two years the Brigade had been called out by all sorts of frivolous alarms. The bell had been rung, and they had left their occupations, by which they were earning their bread, to go to the place at whi«h it was reported a fire had broken out, when actually 110 Are had taken place. At the same time, they knew it was quite possible that every alarm might turn out to be a very serious calamity. On many occasions alarms had been given which, fortunately for the town, turned out to be utterly false. In many instances engines had been carried over hard metalled thoroughfares, and on arriving at the spot, it was found that a chimney had been on fire, but was providentially put out before the services of the Fire Brigade were required. He mentioned these instances merely to show that the brigade were not slack in their endeavours for the saving of the public property. But it waß a blessing that there happened to be so few fires. The brigade were working through every inconvenience and detriment to their progress, but they were working for a particular aim —efficiency, and for the procuring of a code of laws whereby their energetic movements could be carried out to the benefit and satisfaction of themselves. When he said themselves, he meant it, because he thought their own property might possibly be placed in jeopardy if they were called upon to resign, because it would take a great time to organise a new Fire Brigade; and during their organisation fires might occur, and through the disarrangement that would arise, a great amount of property might be destroyed. Having read over the resolution proposed by Mr. W. Thomson, and adopted at the meeting in the Town Hall, the speaker went on to say that by that resolution it was plainly to be seen that another brigade was intended to be established. The present brigade, knowing and feeling the difficulties under which they had been labouring since their organization, had communicated with England, Australia, and some of the provinces of New Zealand, for the rules pursued by Fire Brigades in those places, because it was a well-known fact that more rules were .required for the governing of a veluntary brigade than a paid one. They commenced to frame a code of rules for their own guidance, and had only completed them in time for the last general meeting. As regards discipline, the Christchurch Volunteer' Fire Brigade had enforced it more than any other voluntary brigade would have done. And why? because every member saw the necessity of it. If the public wanted to assist them why did they not enter into communication with them and say that they wished to do so ? (Applause.) In another month, when the committee had framed a code of [ rules for the voluntary fire brigade, they might go | to the engine-house to take out the engine, and if remonstrated with by any member of the present company, would ask what business he bad with them. The present brigade did not want their code of rules at all. (Applause.) He believed the public would wish them still to retain their post, although by that committee they might not be allowed to touch the engine, because they had not subscribed their names to the rival company. He would now say a word or two with regard to the bell. Some two years ago the necessity of having a bell at the north end of the town was seen. They had communicated individually with several members of the Provincial Council, hoping they would use their endeavours to supply the want. The result was that £40 was placed upon the estimates for that purpose, but the bell was not procured or placed where intended, because the financial year was allowed to run through before any action was taken, and then to apply for a bell was found necessary. They were tcild, however, that the financial year had passed by, and that the sum placed upon the estimates could not be appropriated for the purpose. Time wore on, and no bell was obtained; but he hoped they would get one by public subscription. Had they not gone to the Government for what they were justified in asking, he believed that by subscription the bell would have been hanging at the north end of the town at this time. He concluded by saying that the remarks made by some of the speakers at' the late meeting were unjust and uncalled for. Mr. Cliff, Superintendent of the Fire Brigade, then addressed the meeting. He felt proud in occupying the post as head of the Volunteer Fire Brigade, and, as much had been said in reference to him since the late fire occurred, he would claim the indulgence of the meeting while he would offer a few remarks in vindication of his personal character. He flattered himself that he retained the confidence the members of the brigade had placed in him at the time of his appointment. He proceeded to make statements similar to those made by Mr. Worth with regard to the obstacles in the way of the brigade at the late fire, and concluded by saj'ing that in case a rival brigade was organized, he wp,s sure it would act most detrimentally to the interests of the town.

ss Mr. Crosbib Ward said he was sorry to hear that ie the feelings of the brigade had been hurt from the manner in which the public thought they had done their duty. If he was a member of the brigade and d it was said to him " You have done very well, but y we are going to appoint another committee to do the e work for the future," he would say the praise he got it was of a very empty kind. (Applause.) That feele ing was no doubt a proper one for the brigade to r have. No one liked better to see men respect i- themselves than.he did; but he believed the public i did not mean that the present brigade should be e allowed to fall off or be superseded by another. A i resolution passed at the late meeting stated that a committee was to be formed, and although that resol lution was alluded to as injurious to the brigade, yet e it was only adopted with the intention of carrying t out the object expressed in the preceding resolutions, - which was that it was desirable that the Cbristf church Volunteer fire Brigade should be extended. 3 It also stated that the committee should have power t given them to frame the rules under which the brii gade would beorganized. (Criesof " We luiverules.") i It was impossible for him to understand how a t committee could at all be appointed to increase the • efficiency of the brigade without having powers i vested in it to devise rules for its proper guidance, i In looking oyer the rules of the Ciiristehurch Volun--1 teer Fire Brigade, the first of which stated that the ; brigade should consist of fifty members, it was easily to be seen that many of them required revision. If 1 it had been found necessary that the brigade should ' be extended, and that it should be made up of ' double the numbers of members, how was it to be ' done under the existing rules ? Public meetings had no time to go into nice points like the examination of rules. They had no time to discuss small points at the late meeting, but a number of men were selected, as usual, to form a committee to do the work for them. He regretted exceedingly that the Volunteer Fire Brigade had not spoken out their whole minds if they felt indignant at the course pursued at the late meeting. (Ilear.) Was there anything compelling a citizen of Christchurch to stand in a meeting and hear things said injurious to his character, without, offering a word in reply ? Was there anything prohibiting the brigade from vindicating their character and warning tlio public against a course which had a tendency to act prejudicially to their interest ? Why should not Mr. Clitf have said at the late meeting "If you appoint this committee you take the work out of our hands ? " If he had said so, did they not think the meet-in" would have met them in every possible way, and "worded the objectionable resolution otherwise, lie believed he might say with confidence that if there were t>nv persons who harboured hostile feelings towards the brigade they had not the support of moro than two or three at the meeting. The question was, in what way the public should get the necessary work done, and in trying to do that they had unfortunately come 'int6 collision with the brigade, because they, had not communicated m ith them in the first instance. But that was owing : to the want ot knowledge of detail by which public i meetings were necessarily characterised. The point i was how wore they going to get an extended fire i brigade without the aid of the public? As far us 1 the Committee, appointed at the late meeting, was i concerned, he would tell them what they had done i since their appointment. On the evening immediately j succeeding the day upon which they were appointed hey me for the consideration of the mutter. u»d 1 he first record placed on their proceedings was that the co-operation of the Brigade be sought, and their opinion taken, and to recognise the fault tlmtthe meeting had been led into previ u ev mg-(applau S e)-partly because that fault was nt pointed out as it should have been. They agreed seek the co-operation of the Volunteer Fire BrSadl I in the first instance ; and he was glad to find SSS the work tad teen amort done fof tteXmmiuS ' ban. on th. Tory next day ,fte r ft, mSg, 2 J

before they had time to do anything in the mattei three members of the brigade called upon him, am talked the subject over freely. He was pleased t< hear the etatemennts they were able to make, bu was grieved to find that they expressed theinselve as they had that night. A requisition for the con vention of a public meeting was then in course o signature. The Brigade, he was informed, had hell a meeting the very same evening, on which the Com inittee had held their's, so that the resolution of tin Fire Brigade to go to the public, and appeal to then for their confidence, was decided upon befori there was any possibility for the Committee to go t( them, and show the matter in a different light. I would therefore have been absurd for any one of thi Committee to go to them to talk the matter over when such a decided and irrevocable course had beei pursued on the part of the Brigade. It was evidently necessary that the explanation to the public shouk be given before the Committee could take any stepi to try and co-operate with them, when they hac already decided that they would not co-operate with the Committee. After what had taken place, it wai evidently impossible for both parties to co-operatt until the feelings of the Brigade had been relieved on the subject. He wished to say what he though) ought to be done in the matter. If the Committer was appointed for a special purpose, it had got iom< duty to discharge; and it was ready to give its assistance in the extension of the Brigade if its servicef would only be accepted—(applause)—and the Brigade would find themselves in some little difficulty iJ they suffered themselves to act in antagonism; and he therefore hoped that the object the Committee had in view would be supported by every member oi the Volunteer body. It was only by their united efforts that the extension of the Brigade could be satisfactorily carried out. That the time for an extension of that body had arrived he had no doubt, and he was certain the members of the Brigade would bear him out in that statement. Therefore, in ordei to obtain that object, let both the Committee and Brigade amalgamate their efforts, anc put them into use in the right direction, The brigade would see that such a course was verj desirable, and with the leave of the meeting he proposed—" That this meeting has much pleasure in expressing its confidence in the Volunteer Fire Brigade and its desire that a spirit of co-operation should exist between the Brigade and the Committee appointed at the late public meeting, and they are ol opinion that for this purpose the'names of five members of the brigade should be added to the committee for the purpose of considering the principle upon which the rules of the brigade be revised, and achieving the other objects of the public meeting." Captain Wilson would have great pleasure in seconding the resolution; but before doing so was anxious to make a few remarks. He had been accused of opposing the present Fire Brigade, and oi wishing to encourage the formation of a rival one. He gave that assertion the most unequivocal denial —he utterly repudiated it. At the last meeting a resolution was put into his hands. He spoke in favour of it as any other person might have done; and he still retained the opinions then expressed by him. He would ask the brigade one plain question: Did they consider themselves as at present organized capable of contending with such a fire as the recent one ? (No.) They must be aided in some way. He had not the least intention of opposing the brigade, but as one of the committee he accepted the work appointed for him to do, and would do it to the best of his ability. He did not pretend to more skill or knowledge than the other members, but would cheerfully give way to the opinion of the majority. He had been accustomed to handling bodies uf men, and knew the value of discipline, and on this point he should always give his opinion, which would, of course, be taken for what it was worth. Had the Brigade expunged Rule 17 from their code ? The rule was to the effect that if a member of the Brigade came to a fire in a state of intoxication, or became intoxicated during its progress, he should be liable to a fine ! He (Captain Wilson) should contend that a man guilty of such an offence should be immediately expelled from the Brigade without the option of a fine—(a voice :" Or from any other place ")— you are quite right, or from any other place. Then, again, the Brigade had too many officers— there were twelve officers to fifty men—(a voice : " How about the police—how many officers hare they got ?")—We have just now nothing to do with the police ; our present business is with the Brigade. Two efficient officers would be ample for the force, and there were twelve or twenty. (A voice : " Only two.") The Brigade had a superintendent, deputy, two captains, and two deputies, and so on. There was no occasion for a captain and another vice-cap-tain. If anything went wrong at a fire, it would never be known upon whom to lay the blame ; it would be shifted from one to the other, and between the two the affair would come to the ground. He made these remarks in no spirit of disrespect to the Brigade ; on the contrary, he was most sincerely anxious for its well-being and success. Captain Wilson concluded by seconding the resolution. Mr. William Wilson—Before the resolution is put, Mr. Chairman, I am anxious to make a few remarks. It is evident that a discrepancy exists between the Fire Brigade and the Committee, and that [ attempts have been made this evening to reconcile that discrepancy. (Cries of "Go on the platform.") I would willingly go upon the platform but I have been accustomed for so many years to stand upon the same level as my fellow townsmen that I prefer addressing them on the present occasion from the place where lam now standing. (Applause.) The resolution placed before you is a very plausible one, but is very indefinite ; you want something distinct. If you adopt it, you will get up to-morrow morning and find yourselves in exactly the same position aa you are to-night. We all Qwe much to the Fire Brigade ; no one owes them more than I do, for had it not been for their exertions during the recent fire, the Triangle, and probably, a great portion of Cashel-street would have been destroyed. I think that some degree of neglect had been shown in not according to the officers and members of the Fire Brigade, and especially to Mr. Cliff, that meed of praise to which they are fairly entitled. I cannot help thinking that, notwithstand. ing the special pleading Avhich has been employed this evening, it was contemplated to establish a rival brigade. (Cheers.) The resolutions passed at the last meeting gave great offence. I trust that the one which I am about to propose as an amendment will reconcile the difference which unhappily exists. I have so worded it as to mark my sense of the zeal and energy shown by the Fire Brigade at the late fire, both by the officers and men, and I again repeat that I do not consider that due honor was paid to the brigade for all that they did, and always have done for the preservation of life and property. It is evident from the tone of the meeting, that Mr. C. Ward's resolution is not acceptable to you. I hope that mine will be more so. I shall therefore move —" That this meeting has unlimited confidence in the constitution, character, and energy of the preseut officers and members of the Christchurch Volunteer Fire Brigade, and whilst wishing to see its present efficiency extended to meet the growing necessities of the city, this meeting repudiates the idea of extending the present brigade by any other means than by an increase of its members, subject in all respects, to the approbation of its present managing committee." Mr. Duncan briefly seconded the resolution. Mr. Rolleston next addressed the meeting. He was desirous of doing so for two or three reasons, lie was sorry that he had been uuable to attend the last meeting. He had very great pleasure in attending the present one, in order that he might have an opportunity of expressing his own sentiments and those of the Government on the question. He confessed that he thought that the brigade had had some cause for dissatisfaction, but it appeared to liiin that the feeling arose from misapprehension. It was impossible for any one who witnessed the late calamitous fire to have done so without admiring the courage and the energy of the brigade, but at the same time it was impossible to avoid regretting that their number was not greater, and their appliances more effectual. (Applause.) There was no reason to blame the brigade; on the eontrarv it was astonishing to consider the quantity of work they , "f' !lUt ) v ast amount of assistance which hoy had rendered, (Cheers.) He could not approve of Mr. YY llson s amendment. The best plan for the committee to pursue would be, to work earnestly and heartily with the brigade. (Hear.) His advice would be to let by-gones be bygones, and for the future that all parties should pull together strongly and forcibly. Let them abandon nil ideas ot repudiating a feeling which he was sure i not at present "exist, although unforunately it might have existed at one time. Let no record be kept of any disagreement; _ii hei let each and all do their best to promote feelings of union, and endeavour to obliterate the misapprehension which had taken place. (Cheers.) Mr. Harris thought that the existing brigade had been altogether repudiated by the committee, who had expressly told, them that it was their intention to start a new one. The exact words some members used were—"YVewill not work with you; we will nave a rival brigade; Ave will beat you; we will outyou.' Such were the expressions used by some members of the committee. (Cries of " Name, name.") He should not name them; the present was not the time for doing so. He only mentioned the fact to shew the feeling of the committee in the matter.

jngaae naa spoken at the late meetey had atten«it'd it solely as members d not as members of the brigade, any questions, or made any remarks, have resulted, and then the brigade a censured. At their own meeting i public meeting) it was settled that should speak; liad any one of their , it would have been a breach of that i they were so anxious to maintain, their body would have dared to have rk on theJ[oeeasion. uj, before putting the resolution and t, addressed the meeting in a few >ng all intention of hostility to the either at the present meeting or at the Town Hall. lie was sure that nor any gentleman who proposed or solutions were actuated by any desire ?htest slur or imputation upon the ent was put and carried amid loud hanks to the Chairman having been arried, that gentleman briefly acknowpliment, and the meeting separated.