FEILDING

Manawatu Standard, Volume LI, Issue 6, 6 December 1930, Page 7

FEILDING

FIRE BOARD MEETING. (Special to "Standard.”) Mr A. 11. Sutton, presided at the quarterly meeting of the Feilding Fire Board on Thursday, there being also present Messrs W. A. Parton, A. Simpson, V. E. Smith, W. E. Carthew and N. C. Harding, secretary. In regard to the request sent to the Feilding Borough Council in connection with the fire escape by-laws, the council advised that the whole of the by-laws of tho council would be revised at the end of the financial year.—Mr Harding stated that the Borough Council intended consolidating tho whole of the by-laws of the borough and the fire escape by laws would be attended to then. The letter was received. The Audit Department advised that the board’s balance-sheet had been examined and returned without a “tag.” SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORT. The report of the superintendent. Mr O. Sporle, was adopted aa follows: Tho brigado has received two calls during tho quarter. One on October 23, and one on November 28. The estimated value of property on which fires occurred was, £7O; insurance nil. The fire loss for the quarters was £2O; loss to insurance companies nil. The present strength of the brigade is 19 firemen and two officers. There have been seven parades during the quarter, and tho attendance and work has been good. Tho station and plant are in good order. The new machine was placed in tho station on September 15, and has given overy satisfaction, and is a very fine addition to the plant. Tho water pressure in the borough is being • maintained, the average day pressure reading 851bs. and the night pressure over lOOlbs.. Tho social life is one of the most marked features of the brigade’s varied activities, and its social room is well-known to all, and many delightful ' evenings have been spent. A special feature of the brigade’s annual meeting on November 27, was the presentation of a framed certificate to Fireman Dan Kitchen in honour of his record of GO years’ continuous service as a fireman, being over 32 years in the Feilding Brigade.—Adopted. GENERAL. The secretary reported that the matter of firemen’s attendance at tho local theatres was in the" hands of the Borough Council and its decision would be made known when available. “I think the board should say something in recognition of Mr Kitchen’s record of fire services,” 6aid Mr V. E. Smith in referring to the 50 years’ serviec rendered by Fireman Kitchen in tho Wanganui and Feilding Fire brigades. Mr Kitchen was an old man now, the speaker said, but was still wonderfully active in the service of the brigade. Mr Smith moved tho board should forward a letter to Mr Kitchen, expressing its appreciation of his services.

The chairman, in seconding the motion, said Mr Kitchen was present at the practices of the brigade on every occasion and he was always one of the first to answer the firebell. The motion was carried. The Chairman referred to the fact that Mr Simpson was attending the last meeting of the board as an insurance company representative, and on bohalf of the board ho expressed to Mr Simpson tho pleasure all members had always had in sitting in conference with him. On the motion of Messrs Sutton and Carthew it was decided to place on record the board’s appreciation of Mr Simpson’s services, Messrs Carthow and Smith both speaking in support of Mr Sutton’s motion, while Mr Barton also regretted tho loss of Mr Simpson to the board. The meeting closed with exchanges of best, wishes tor the festive season between the chairman and the board members.

“I’m perfectly satisfied that something should be done to the entrunce of the theatres in Feilding,” stated Mr V. E. Smith at Thursday’s meeting of the Feilding Fire Board. *‘lf there was a fire to-morrow I’m sure there would bo trouble,” the speaker added, and went on to refer to the nature of the exits at both theatres, both of which, in the speaker’s opinion, had not been constructed to facilitate tho rapid egress of people. The secretary reported that the Borough Council was obtaining a report on the fire escapes in the two theatres from the borough engineer, and when it was completed it would bo available to the board. The discussion then lapsed. KIWITEA RABBIT BOARD. The bi-monthly meeting of the Kiwitea Rabbit Board was held at Kimbolton on Wednesday, Trustee W. L. Grice presiding. Also present were Trustees A. Brown, T. D. Wood, G. Kreger and J. W. Batehelar. Trustee Palmer was granted leave of absence. The Department of Agriculture forwarded a refund of £2 2s, being wages in connection with rabbit destruction on the Crown land at Otainakapua. WAGES REDUCTION. _ Trustee Grice gave notice of intention to move at the next meeting of The board that all employees of the board be subject to a reduction of 15 per cent) on their wages and salaries as from April 1, 1931. INSPECTOR’S REPORT. The chief inspector reported as under: The inspectors have ben engaged in personal inspections of properties and ind that while there has been _ a slight increase in tho number of rabbits to be seen in a few plaoes the majority of the properties inspoctod continue to be in satisfactory condition. There has not been any great amount of work done this term on account of the very unseasonable weather, a bit of shooting or digging out being about all that has been done anywhere. The breeding soason is now well advanced and judging by present appearances there is not going to be any alarming increase in the pest in our district this year and we are topeful that weather conditions being avourable to get the pest still further reduced during the coming summer and autumn. During the past two months we have also devoted considerable attention to seasonal noxious weeds, and are pleased to bo able to report) satisfactory work has been done in most cases The weeds being dealt with at present are rorse, broom, foxglove, hemlock and Dorbari, and while a considerable amount of the two latter have been attended to there is still a good deal to be done, but we hope to get this work done during the coming month. Inspector Palmer gave a demonstration of treating weeds with sodiumchlorate in October on one of the local farms and so far as ragwort was concerned we consider it an unqualified success, and we are advising anyone whose property is infested _ with this plant to give it a trial. —Received.

GENERAL. Authorisation of the payment of the annual subscription of £4 4s to the North Island Rabbit Boards’ Association was given. The secretary reported that the position of the rates was as follows: Struck, £604 15s; paid to date, £263 7s sd; outstanding, £340 12s 7d. Accounts amounting to £2lO 5s were passed for payment.