NEW FIRE BRIGADE STATION.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CIII, Issue 12158, 23 March 1900, Page 3

NEW FIRE BRIGADE STATION.

THE OPENING CEREMONY. Last evening there was a very large gathering of citizens and others at the ceremony of opening the fine Fire Brigade Station which has just been erected in Lichfield Street. The premises were first inspected, and were much admired for both their completeness and the comfort which they afford for the men. The proceedings were commenced by the Mayor of Christchurch (Mr Reece) who' said he had' a, pleasant duty to perform in asking Councillor 0. M. Gray (chairman of the Fire Brigade Committee) to open the station. To enable Councillor Gray to do that he had been asked by the Brigade to present him with a silver key. In accepting the key, Councillor Gray said he felt highly honoured at being asked to jierform such an important ceremony. Councillor Gray then ascended the bo.v of the chemical engine, and, on an alarm being given, the men descended down the pole from the upstairs rooms, the horses were in their quarters in a very short time, the patent harness was all adjusted, and within one minute Mr Gray pulled the string which drew the bolts of the doors, and the engine, with the firemen on board, was out in the street. The company then adjourned to the large recreation-room upstairs, where about a hundred people sat clown to light- refreshments. The Mayor presided, and Superintendent Smith was on his right, and Councillor C. M. Gray on his left, and amongst those present were the Mayors of Sydenham and St Albans, amkmost of the members of the City Council, if well a« representatives of insurance cor’ inies and other business men. The loyal toasts having been honoured, Ex-Superintendant Harris proposed the health of the “ Mayor and Councillors.” He said that his association- with the Council dated back to 1b63, and he had known the present Mayor when he was a verj small boy His own long connection with the Fire Brigade had brought him constantly into contact with the Councillors, and his connection with them had always been of a pleasant nature. He had seen many changes in the Council,' and he was glad to -see that the city had now an -excellent administrative body, and the streets compared favourably with those in any other citv in the colony. The Mayor, in replying, thanked them for the hearty manner in which the toast had been received. He said he had known Mr Harris as a public-spirited and earnestminded citizen for a long time. He s}ioke of the good work done by the Fire Brigade, and said that a fireman had as much right to have his name inscribed on the scroll of fame as had a soldier, a -s the one risked his life as often as did the other. He had seen American fire appliances and plants and he felt that the City of Christchurch should have a plant second to none, and the keeping in the stables of well-bred light horses for the engines would be of great assistance to the brigade. He was very glad to be there that evening and t*o assist at the opening -cf the station. Councillors Prudhoe, J. T. Smith and Appleby also responded. The Mayor then presented a silver medal to Branchman J- Irving, of the Railway Volunteer Fire Brigade for five years’ service and two year bars to Superintendent Hemswort’h, Deputy-Superintendent Round, Foreman Round, Branchman Wyburg, Branchman D. Gunn, of the Railway Brigade; and two bars to Superintendent Smith, one bar to Fireman J. Kennedy, two bars to Foreman Tattersall, three bars to Branchman G. King, two bars to Fireman W. Juriss, one each to, Branchman B. Berry, Brancbman R. Atkinson and Branchman R. Campbell, and a- three years certificate to ex-Fireman G. Faulkner, ail of the Christchurch Fire Brigade. Superintendent Smith, in proposing the toast of "'The Fire Brigade Committee,” said that the committee had certainly done its duty in providing the city with such a fine station. Councillor Gray had been a good chairman of. the, committee for the past eight years, and while attending to the interests of the city had always supported the brigade in every possible way, and in doing so he had often got int° trouble. On behalf of the brigade he presented Mr Gray with a n illuminated address and album with photographs of all the members. Councillor Gray thanked them sincerely for the manner in which the toast had been received. He assured the brigade that he should treasure their presents as long as he lived. Ho traced the history of the new station, which, he said, was the outcome of the urgent request of Superintendent Smith. The land and buildings had cost -the Council £3424. ’ It was-intended to sell -the old station, -and it was .anticipated that the rent which the site would bring would pay the interest on the present building. The funds had received m addition of from between £7O and £BO, for furnishing the recreation room, from funds left in hand after the last demonstration- held in Christchurch. Messrs Ballon tyne and Co-, and Messrs Strange and Co. -had each presented a fine bookcase, and Mr R. C. Bishop bad presented a dozen books as the nucleus of a Jibrary, which it was hoped would soon be added to by other donations. The Fire Brigade Committee had always worked amicably, and had done its best for the brigade -and the city. He thanked the members with whom he had worked for their assistance, and also the brigade for the handsome key that they had presented to him. Mr C. Louisson proposed the toast of “ The Christchurch and Railway Fire Brigades.” In doing so, he said his experience of the two brigades extended over twenty years, and he could bear testimony to the efficiency of the brigades and to tie admirable manner in which both had worked for the safety and security of the citizens’ pro}3erty. The record of fires in Christchurch would bear favourable comparison with that of any city that possessed a high pressure water supply. The brigades seldom gave the insurers a chance of getting the money for which they were insured, as they generally extinguished the fires in their inci2iient stages. The manner in which the firemen had been housed in the past bad been a disgrace, and he was glad to be able to congratulate them upon having at last secured such an up-to-date station and quarters. He felt that the cost of the building would soon be saved to the citizens.

Superintendent Smith .said that at times of fire the two. brigades had always worked together amicably for the good of the citizens. He felt sure that, with the tall buildings now going u}> in the city, it would not be long before the city would x'equire to have a high pressure water supply. The present supply was all right when the brigades got on to a fire quickly, but they sawin the fire in St Asaph Street the other day that when a large fire once got a hold, the present water supply was quite inadequate. Superintendent Hemsworth endorsed what Superintendent Smith had said. The Mayor of St Albans proposed the toast of “The Underwriters’ Association,” and expressed the opinion that that body should assist the funds of the brigade in a liberal manner.

Mr A. L. Parsons, in replying, said as he was the only representative there he would not enter upon debatable ground. The constitution of the Association would not allow the members to make any contribution to tbe brigades, although many individual, members would like to do so. He had seen brigades in other towns in New Zealand, and would say that the Christchurch Brigade was second to none. The very small loss by fire in Christchurch was due in a great measure to the possession of two chemical engines-, which did good work in stopping fires in the incipient stages. He concluded by paying a tribute to Superintendent Smith, who, he hoped, would long remain at the head of the brigade. Mr G. Capper proposed the toast of “ The Ex-Firemen.”

Ex-Superintendent Harris, in responding, gave some illustrations of the fire ap2fllances in the city in the early days, and traced the history of the brigade. He congratulated the Council upon the possession of an up-to-date building and plant. He urged that more deep wells should be put down in the city, as some of the fire tanks were now running short of jyater 2 notably, that

in Cathedral Square. He believed that the outlay of the citizens in wells, rams and pumps if put together would 1 have been sufficient to bring in a high jmessure water supply, which would have reduced the iusAirance rates to a- minimum.

Ex-Fireman Hobbs and C. Samuels also responded. The toast of “The Visiting Firemen” was proposed by Mr C. M. Gray, and was responded to by Superintendent Phillips, of the Sumner Brigade. The toasts of “ The Ladies,” proposed by Mr T. Gapes, “The Press,” by Mr W. Garrard, and “The Chairman,” were honoured, and the proceedings were brought to a close by the singing of the' National Anthem.

During the evening Mr D. Ryan gave recitations, and songs were- given by Mr M’Laren, Foreman Tattersall, Branchman Shepperd, and Firemen Oakes and Henderson, and a cornet solo by Mr H. L. Oakes. . Mr C. L. Oakes was accompanist.