WHANGAREI FIRE BRIGADE.

Northern Advocate, 11 April 1923, Page 6

WHANGAREI FIRE BRIGADE.

NEW STATION . OPENED,

The recently completed and up-to-date fire station at corner of Dent and Norfolk Streets was opened yesterday afternoon by the Mayor, Mr D. A. McLean, in the presence of a ratlier disappointing attendance of burgesses. Before calling upon the Mayor to open, the building, Mr J. S. Dent, chairman of the Whangarei Fire Board, expressed disappointment at the poor attendance at the opening ceremony of what was really an important building. He declared that some years ago it had been realised that the building in which the Fire Brigade was housed ,vas inadequate, so plans weye prepared for a ne-w building, p.nd tenders were called. However, the tenders on throe occasions were too high and they were rejected. Then came the war, and tightness of money meant abandonment of the building seheme for the time being. The Board got a good deal of abuse over it, but later on the difficulties were overcome, and Whangarei j now had a station that wtas as up-to-date as, trhat an any towji of a similar size in New Zealand. It also had a brigade which was a credit to it, while j the: insurance members of ihe Board had told him that the equipment was ■- as modern as was possessed by any town of like proportions. " All knew what it would mean when the fire alarm rang, if there were no brigade, I end it was gratifying to know that there was a good one in Whangarei.

Mr G. Nevill, a member representa tive of the insurance companies on the Board, aipologised for the unavoidable absence of his colleagues, Messrs Cook and Blair. Speaking for the insurance section of the Board, he congratulated the people of Whangarei upon possession of a fine station and upon the effectiveness of the Brigade. The ratejpayers were also to be congratulated because a brigade could do no good unless it had theTissistance of ratepayers behind it. Under the able command of Superintendent Ohissell the town 'had an effioient body of fire-fighters. He congratulated the people on their civic spirit, which . 'iad enabled the new" station to be built, and declared [ that the insurance •companies would gladly bear their share of its cost.

Mr Harry Weaver, ex-Mayor of Whangarei, of late years a resident of Devonporit, declared tlat the opening of the new station marked a further step in the progress of Whangarei. Years ago, he related, there had been a volunteer fire brigade having no better homo than a shanty at the back of the Presbyterian Church and with no status at all. Superintendent Chissell had been in charge then, and he had organised a concert, with t'he proceeds of which the volunte* r brigade had bought a hand reel, of which he verily believed the superintendent -had been as proud as he was of the modern equipment housed in the station to-day. It had been a good move to form the Fire Board in Whangarei, and he con sidered that a great deal of gratitude was due to the fire insurance members, who were ever ready to help fire brigades. He also congratulated Mr Dent upon the consummation of his desires in connection with the station, and concluded by declaring that residents must feel that it was fir.e to go to bed with the knowledge that, with an efficient brigade, if a fire broke out it would not be allowed to spread far.

The Mayor also expressed his regret that there were not more present, although the attendance had swelled considerably before he spoke. He thanked Mr Dent for the privilege «of opening the very modern and much-needed station erected in Whangarei. It must, he felt, be gratifying to members e-f the Board and the brigade to realise that they were so weli equipped and in so up-to-date a sta A e. He congratulated the Board upon the steps it had taken to see that the men of the brigade, who were far from being overpaid for their services, were well accommodated. It was gratifying to the people to know that it had an efficient brigade in the town, tnd to the members of that brigade to be well housed. They had waited long for it. There was an old axiom, "Hope deferred maketh the heart sick," and he wondered that the men hsd not got tired of waiting for their new quarters. However, Whangarei was fortunate in having a brigade that compared favourably with that of any town of a similar size, and he complimented Superintendent ChLssol 1 upon his energy in having made '.t so. The Superintendent was a man who was insistent; he gave no one any peace until what he wonted was granted. Jokingly, the Mayor gave directions to the firemen that they .should -use a little discretion if certain buildings in the town caught fire. They might very well arrange it, he declared, to arrive just in time to see that such buildings were sufficiently gutted to compel rebuilding, provided always that there was no risk of loss of life. However, the insiiranct! p-x>ple were satisfied with their efficiency and he therefore hoped lhat the time would come when they would be prepared to reduce premiums. The architect and contractors were to be congratulated upon the building thev had provided. He hoped that members of the brigade would find themselves comfortably housed for number of years, though lie realised that the time would come when even a larger building would be needed to accommodate the members, ivteanwhile, he trusted that ihoy would have many happy evenings in the new station,

and not too maiiy fire> to fight. Ho then declared the station open. Mr F. Wakelin suggested that it would be a good idea io raise a crowd by ringing the fire-bell, and offered to do it, if the Mayor Avould grant permission, 'because the attendance at function was, to his wa;. of thinking, a disgrace. The Mayor, however, withheld consent, and instead all those present, inH'u'inp; many ladies, inspected the new station and were regaled with afternoon tea on the sumptuous lines dictated by the almost historical propensity of firemen to treat their guests in really good .style.