CHRISTCHURCH FIRE BRIGADE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XCIII, Issue 10566, 28 January 1895, Page 3

CHRISTCHURCH FIRE BRIGADE.

TO THE EDITOR. Uut man, proud man I Dresst in a little brief authority; * * * Plays such fantastic tricks before high Heaven As make the angels weep. ' g lß} _The above quotation fitly expressed my thoughts on Tuesday morning when reading in your columna that the City Council had decided to leave the Fire Brigade in ifca present disorganised and inefficient etate. Can you or any of your readers conceive a reason at all sufficient for this inaction ? Have some of the members an axe to grind, and are the rest in all docility to turn the handle ? I can’t think of men elected by the citizens to look after their interests being so neglectful of their duty iu an important matter like this without some ulterior motive. The behaviour of soma of the firemen at Fletcher, Humphreys’ fire, and their utter lack of discipline and training, have been commented on by onlookers and newspapers ad nauseam, and the men responsible quietly fold their hands. It has been pointed out that no member of the present Council can be considered an expert on firo brigade matters. If proof of this wore needed it is only necessary to point to their inaction under present circumstances and to the condition of the brigade. If the members of the committee had any confidence in professions they would ha the first to desire an inquiry, and as they do not desire an inquiry they can have no confidence in their profession. Then as to the brigade. If there is any esprit de corps in a bddy of men they will invariably reflect the character of their leaders and those who control them; thus the character

of the loaders can be judged by the behaviour of the men. Put thia to a practical test and note the result. Surely it is not necessary in reviewing the inaction of our Council to point to a possible tendency on the part of our representatives to follow, on a small scale, tho doings of similar bodies in some of tho large cities of tho world, notably New York and Chicago, in America. Hints of selfish motives and undue influence have been given utterance to, and if the Council does not wake-up, such hints may assume a more definite shape. There is one question I have purposely omitted commenting upon. It is one of the charges you made on Nov. 19. You out it negatively thus“ There is no inducement for capable men to remain in the brigade.” Councillor Grey, in his speech, called this a vague statement, and said he did not know if the writer wished the Council to pay the men. In passing, I may say, for a long time I have held with what I consider good reason that the city would have a much more efficient brigade, and a much less expensive one than it has at present, if it did pay them. At the same time I hold that a properly conducted volunteer brigade is calculated to be much more efficient than a paid one; but thia is a matter of which our authorities do net seem to have the remotest conception. Perhaps tho charge would appear less vague if put positively thus t " Brigade matters are so conducted by Councillor Gray and his committee that young men of any spirit and self-respect would scorn to have any connection with it. There are matters which could be brought out in this connection that are positively degrading, and the committee either know of or are culpably ignorant of them.” About the anonymous writers, the reasons you give ought to, be satisfactory to any unbiassed mind. It certainly is nob a dignified position for our councillors to take up when they ignore anonymous writers on a question of fact. lam aware that on some questions it is the man behind the words that give them force s but this cannot apply here. What possible difference can it make to a question capable of demonstration whether he who raises the question is known or not ? This question of anonymity is not, and cannot be, a reason for ignoring facts within the cognisance of anyone who cares to open his eyes. Are we to disbelieve all the items recorded in the daily papers, because no signatures are attached P Fudge t Some better reason than this will want to be forthcoming to convince the public that tho committee are not afraid of the light. Councillor Gray speaks about newspapers getting their information from informers. Pray, where did he get his information? From informers, whose interest it was to inform him falsely, which, in at least some instances, they did. Informers are indispensable in every walk of life, and odious only to the guilty. But what of those who signed their names ? Then we are treated several times to a tirade about evidence. Where is the evidence ? When the proper times comes that will, no doubt, be forthcoming in abundance. I write you on this occasion, not in the expectation that the Council will make any move in the direction indicated, bat to show the hollowness of the ground ohwhich they have chosen to ride the high, horse, and to warn them that their assumption of an attitude so unbecoming may —sooner than they . expect—lead to unpleasant consequences.—l am, &c., .

EX-FIEEMAN.