CORE FIRE BRIGADE.

Mataura Ensign, 13 January 1916, Page 4

CORE FIRE BRIGADE.

WORK OF THE YEAR XtNF CALLS TO FINES. Tho twenty-ninth annua] mooting; of the Core Flip Rrigado was held 'last evening. There wore Ifi members presont. and Captain Walii.s presided. A.Wr.VL RFI'OKT. The following i.s the annua! report : During the year jiirtt ('tided there have beep •>{) inu.s-tor.s of the brigade, as against 10 the previous year. Of those seven worn false alarms. a s against Jo the previous .year; and nine wore calls to lire*, as against three the previous year. 01' the nine lire calls five were for houses that were totally destroyed, while two wore partially damaged, and two calls were for lires in hedges. One hou.se was outside the water area. The attendance of members-; :tt each fire was distinctly good. We have lost-throe members by resignationl during the year, viz.. Engineer Walker, Fireman Chatierlon (enlisted for active service), and ''Driver Koid (who has left the district). \Vo are indebted to Driver Koid for the splendid service lie has rendered lo the brigade and to the town for conveying the brigade's plant and equipment to fires during the past two years free of charge.

In the course of the year wo have added MOO ft- of new hose to the plant, and another :500ft are expected io be added shortly. The old hose has been thoroughly overhauled-and repaired, and is in good order. The most er-wential requirement at present is new tunics for the firemen. Those at present in use are fully '2o years old, and affoid no protection to members when on duty. Full inquiry' is now bein£[ made as to (he cost of new tunics and a-bout 10 new helinet i; , and the estimates wiLl be laid before a meeting of the brigade at an early date. The moist important matter before tho brigade during the yoar was that of providing a file motor. After the military sports gathering in which the brigade took part, and at which a motor i'tiliy equipped for traction purposes was supplied for the occasion, the executive officers wore so well satisfied with the inachiiTe that thov got it under ofFor for a term and approached the Horough Council on the .subject. Your executive was satisfied that the motor under offer would suit the brigade's requirements for many years to come, especially as a six-years' guarantee was giv-mi with it. A practical mechanical engineer's report \vas also obtained recommending the machine, . but, the Horough Council accepted another report. After several months' waiting, the "Horough Council i.s now inviting tenders for the supply of a now machine.

' We are trlnd to bo able to j-oport thai our I>rif/;wit* ha.s again taken an active part in the annual demnnsi rat ions of the r.F.H.A. Although only tlin c inon took part in the competitions at Tiniaru i\ fourth prize' for one-man coupli'in/ foil to Fireman Alex Wall's iti a fio'd of 91 .competitors, which was highlv ei(><liial>!e. In the throe-men- hose and hydrant event our rcrue.sontafive.s iust missed winning a prize bv nne-fiftli of :t second. Our young men worthily uphold Ihe lion or of the brigade fit Tiniaru. In a >-r >-Ys of lire brigade events at Tnvorcargill in front em her. A. L. Wallis <--(H'iiro(! both prizes. As in oilier walks of life, ptact iee n\\.<\ attention to <lutv will oairy il« reward. Our financial condition is fair. We have only CI? odd iir our private account awl C'oO odd in our plant aeeonnt. Tho cost of tunics and hose ordered will ab;-orb more than this, but the borough subisVly next month- will put us right again as far as the plant account i* concerned. The chairman, in movl'ic. the adopt:on of tho renort and balance-sheet, said hi' iv:ik g'ad that the (own lor another year had c-ciped a serious ennfhgraiiou. In two e:i«-es referred 10 in the renort one tire wa.s on- the hill and hcvond the water sunplv. and two other buili'li'U/s, wore prnot ieally do*Urovod before the lire alarm wiik given. Although tho brigade had- done good work, ho hoped for bettor it) the future. Tho •danl had now been thoroughly overhauled, and was in good order. T.I to funds wor-o at a low ebb. The nrivah» fund was nraetioal'y em'>lv. and the plant acromtt was. nled.o-od lor new gear, but iho borough MiV-wly would r-J■L.cl• t it. Vie, hoped to see move peart Ye during the year find mcnibom making themselves more cfl'Yioel

Lieutenant P.. V.. Willi-; seconded the motion, which, after a brief d;s-eii'-sion, was <-nit'm^l. . ELECTION of OFFirF.HS. Tlic following officers woro elected : ■('apinin. I' 1 . W:il!i^: first lieutenant, F. K. Wnllis; second 1 iiMiioii.-i.il t. W. Baker; r-eeivtaiy ami treasurer, A. .Martin; senior foreman. Artlmr "\V:il"I;«; engineer. W. Tinnock; hvdranrmen, <". Wa.lli.s and H. Stewart: lnanfhnion. A. Waflis, Alex Wall's, and .7. .Kobson: hiddernioii, F. Foulston. A. Smith, .anil H. -Wulli-s; hose foremen, Alex Wallis, <'. Wallis, and A. Smith. Tlio election of a delegate to the conference was deferred uri.lil nexj. iiu-el-iixcr,. OFNF.RAT.. It- was re.vo.'vrd. to Forward three notices of motion- lo tMo conference dealing with competition penalties and oonipetiiion d.Vcts,- and recommending thai Iki lane-'-sheet-, of the Accident Association be sent'lo brigades for considerationl a fortnight before the annual conference. Fireman Leslie Wallis tendered his resignation owin": to reniov.nl to Stratford" which was accepted with regret, and 3! r .'John Keniiie was elected to fill tho vacancy.