Mayor Extends Thanks to E.F.S. Personnel

Manawatu Times, Volume 69, Issue 208, 2 September 1944, Page 7

Mayor Extends Thanks to E.F.S. Personnel

“As chairman of the E.P.S. organisation of this city and also as a member of the Palmerston North Fire Board, I am pleased to have this opportunity of meeting the officers and members of the E.F.S. on w-.iat we hope will be your final parade, to thank you for the services you rendered to your city and the Dominion wnen the threat of invasion was at our door,” said the Mayor (Mr. A. E. Manstord) at a meeting of the Emergency Fire Service in Palmerston Nortn on Thursday. The Mayor continued: “The entry of Japan into the world-wide war in IS4I piaced this country of ours in Jeopardy and no one could then say with any degree of certainty wnat tne future neld for us. For some considerable time this threat was an ever present menace ana it was only by tne victories of our own and our Allies Forces in the Pacific that the enemy has been forced back from our shores. The Government, realising tnis danger, immediately took steps to organise the civilian population and as a result the tmerflency Fire Service came into existence in 1941.

“The strength of tne Service in Palmerston Nortn was laid down at 50 covering ail ranks and it was organised anu trained by the superintendent, officers and memuers of tne Palmerston North Fire Brigade. No ser.ous difficulties were experienced in recruiting an efficient personnel and we were considered fortunate in obtaining Mr. B. Abraham and Major F. G. Hume as divisional officers.

* Your training was immediately commenced and although at times it may have been arduous, l am advised that a particularly high standard of efficiency was achieved. Subsequently, as the war situation improved, your collective strength was reduced to 28 members and the balance placed on reserve. It is now propused to place the w.iole strength on reserve, but it is gratifying to learn that twelve of your members have volunteered to Joint the auxiliary staff of the Fire Brigade to tide them over the shortage of manpower due to so many members serving with the forces.

“During the tnree years you have been in existence it is fortunate that there has never been any necessity to call on your services for the purpose for which you were formed, namely, enemy action, out I am confident tnat had the necessity arisen every member of your organisation would have risen to tne occasion. It is pleasing to note, however, that your keenness nas been such that on more than one occasion some of your members have assisted the brigade at fires and I feei that tne knowledge of firefignting that you have gained may be of inestimable value to your fellow citizens at some future time.

“In conclusion, on behalf of the Central Executive of the E.P.S., I desire to thank ail ranks, both officers and men, for the splendid example of community service you have rendered, and to express my sincere thankfulness that due to the glorious victories of our Fighting Forces, ihe necessity of putting your knowledge to the test never arose. I can only hope that now the tide of victory has turned so favourably towards the cause of democracy that we may soon be able to forget the fear of invasion which threatened our shores and that we will soon be celebrating tne final peace which now appears so certain.”

The Superintendent of the Palmerston North Fire Brigade tendered his personal thanks and appreciation to the members of the E.F.S. for their keen work during the danger period and also to the officers and members of the brigade who had helped as instructors.

Mr. S. Abranam, thanking the Superintendent, Deputy, fourth officer (Mr. W. M. Edgar) and men of the brigade and the men of the E.F.S., mentioned that 300 parades had been held since the E.F.S. had been formed.

Major Hume thanxed the men for their keenness and he expressed appreciation of the work of the instructors who had taken so much trouble to make tne E.F.S. efficient.

The Deputy-Superintendent (Mr. J. W. Hepburn) said it had been a pleasure to be associated with the men of the E.F.S. He hoped that they would keep in touch with the brigade.