The Nelson Evening Mail. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 1867. NELSON VOLUNTEER FIRE BRIGADE.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume II, Issue 218, 17 September 1867, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 1867. NELSON VOLUNTEER FIRE BRIGADE.

The first anniversary meeting of this ■useful and important body took place yesterday evening at the- Trafalgar Hotel, Captain Knight in the chair, a very numerous muster of the members being -presont. The minutes of the previous meeting having been read and confirmed, Captain Knight congratulated the members of the Brigade on the fact that the present was their first anniversary, and said that on thajfc • day last year they had had an opportunity of electing their officers who, he believed, had fully justified the trust reposed in thera. He also referred to the perfect obedience which had been shown by the members of the Brigade to his orders on all occasions, and having reminded them that their first duty that evening would be the election of their officers for the ensuing year, retired, whilst the election of Captain took place. Lieutenant Murfin having taken the chair, Mr Manson Sinclair proposed and Mr E. Snow seconded the re-election of Mr Knight as Captain, at the same time offering their testimony to the efficiency of his conduct in that position, which was cordially endorsed by the meeting, and the motion having been carried unanimously, Captain Knight, amidst much applause, returned thanks for the. honor which had been 'done him for the second time in grateful terms, and referring to his past experience of the difficulty in keeping up brigades of this description, expressed his hopes that their efforts would be liberally appreciated by the public, and that they would be properly represented by the Press, whose support would be most valuable to them. Mr Cooksey then proposed and Mr Robertson seconded the re-election of Mr Murfin as Lieutenant. Mr Thomson proposed and Mr Snow seconded tbe nomination of Mr M. Sinclair, wlio however declined to stand, though much pressed to accept the vacant post by a large number ofthe members present. Messrs Brighton, Cooksey, Hunter •Brown , and H. Wimsett were also pro-po-sefl,.the first throe declining to stand,

and the choice lying between Messrs Murfih and Wimsett, the former gentleman obtained a majority of seven votes, and was declared duly elected Lieutenant. Lieutenant Murfin having expressed his thanks and promised to exert his best efforts to promote the interests of the Brigade, the meeting proceeded to the election of theJ?oreman of the Hook and Ladder Company, for which Messrs Cooksey and Wimsett were proposed, and the former, having obtaiued 19 votes and his opponent 11, was declared to be reelected to this post. Mr Cooksey would return thauks only to those who had voted for him, for he thought that the members who .voted against him should have some cause for doing so, and he felt that he had always done his utmost for the Brigade. Captain Wigzell had much pleasure in proposing the * re-election of Mr Manson Sinclair as Foreman of No. 1 Hose Company, and iu doing so said he only ex-., pressed the general feeling of the Brigade - that he was the most fitting man to fill the place. Mr Acton Adams having seconded the nomination, Mr Sinclair was elected unanimously, and amidst much cheenng expressed his sense of the flattering manner in which his services had beeu alluded to, aud his anxiety to do his utmost to serve the interests of the Brigade. Mr Robertson having declined to stand again as Foreman of No. 2 Company, Messrs Hunter Brown, Wimsett, and J. Harley were proposed, and the scrutiny terminated in the election of Mr Wimsett, who briefly returned thanks. Mr Hunter Brown and Mr Truman were proposed as Foreman of the Fire Company, and the former gentleman having obtained 19 votes, while Mr Truman had 11, he was declared to be re-elected, and in returning thanks said that he was very sensible of the honor shown him, and adverting to a remark which had fallen from Mr Flood in proposing Mr Truman, with reference to the considerable distance at which he resided . from the centre of the city, said that although the two last fires had taken place on the opposite side of Nelson, the next might chance to be on the side nearest to his residence. At all events, if he found he could not perform his duties efficiently, he would at once resign. Mr Merrington haying been re-elected Treasurer without opposition, Mr Cooksey said it was with the greatest pleasure that he proposed Captain Wigzell as Secretary, since he believed hira to be the most efficient person that could be found for the post, and expressed his hope that he might be elected unanimously, with which the meeting at once complied, Mr Wimsett seconding the nomination, and Mr Betts emphatically pronouncing the nominee * a brick.' Captain Wigzell returned thanks with much feeling for the honor paid him so unanimously, expressing his consciousness of his deficiencies, and promising to devote his best energies to the Brigade. This portion of the proceedings having been gone through, the Secretary read a letter addressed to Captain Knight and the officers and members of the Brigade by the agents of the various Insurance Companies, conveying their thanks for the exertions of the Brigade on the occasion of the fire on Wednesday the 14th uit.; to the officers, for their able and judicious direction as well as personal exertions, and to the privates, for their untiring exertions and the readiness with which they carried out instructions from their officers. The letter concluded thus — ' We have no hesitation in saying that had it not been for the Fire Brigade, the loss to the Insurance Companies, as well as to individuals, would have been far greater than it is.' A letter was read from A. Pitt, Esq., M.P.C., acknowledging a vote of thanks passed at the last meetiug, and expressing his readiness to do all that lay in his power to forward the interests of the Brigade. The Secretary also read the copy of a letter addressed by him to the Board of Works, asking for a subscription towards the working expenses of the Brigade, and also a reply from the Secretary of the Board, stating that after the assessment had been completed for the current year, the matter should be taken into consideration. Tne balance-sheet of the Brigade, which showed a balance to its credit of £22 18s. 6d., was then read, and adopted.

The Chairman then called the attention of the meeting to the subject of the new enginehouse, and at his request, Mr Hunter Brown stated that he had, in company with Lieutenaut Murfin, waited on the Provincial Secretary, who had informed him the lowest tender sent in for its erection was £73 in excess of the sum voted by the Provincial Council, at the same time suggesting that this amount should be paid out of the £100 on the Estimates for the Brigade. A discussion of some length ensued, and Lieut. Murfin proposed and Mr A. Adams seconded the proposition, that the Brigade should vote £73 from its funds to enable the Government to complete the enginehouse, according to the plans sent in, ■which were well adapted for the purpose. Mr Hunter Brown was of opinion that it would be premature to promise this sum, although they might reasonably expect assistance from the Board of Works, and also frora the insurance companies, who had made a sort of promise lo make their donation of this year an aunual subscript;on, and thought it would be better to adjourn the consideration of the question until the next meetiug. This view of the matter was ultimately adopted by the meeting, who rejected the previous motion, and carried au amendment, moved by Captain Wigzell and seconded by Mr Hunter Brown, that the Government be requested to defer the acceptance of tenders for the erection of the enginehouse until tbe next meeting of the Brigade. On the suggestion of Mr Moss it was agreed tbat tin tickets (the joint contribution of Mr Hunter Brown and Mr Moss) should be affixed to the residences of members of the Brigade, to obviate the difficulty of giving an alarm in case of fire, aud also that hour tickets should be given as checks to persons working at the engines on such occasions. Mr Flood's proposition that a rewaid of £2 should be offered to the first harnessed horse which might arrive at the enginehouse at night and £1 by day, the second horse to receive half these suras, was una-iimously agreed to. Several notices of motion were given, and a vote of thanks, on the motion of Mr Cooksey, given to the Auditors, Messrs Greenfield and Sharp. The following new members were then balloted for and elected: — Messrs J. Drew, J. Bradcock, W. Farie, H. Moore, F. Simpson, W. Lennard, W. Lightfoot, J. M'Guffie, and C. Bird. The following were proposed as members for election at the next meeting: — Messrs Alfred Helps, jun., J. Snow, and J, Walden. The subscriptions and fines having been paid in, and a vote of thanks passed to the Chairman, for his able and impartial con- ■ duct during the meeting, the assemblage dispersed, it having been previously notified from the chair that the members would be expected to appear in uniform, &c, at the anniveisary dinner, which, as we have already Btated, will take place on Thursday evening next, at the Trafalgar.