NELSON VOLUNTEER FIRE BRIGADE.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLIII, Issue XLIII, 20 September 1909, Page 2

NELSON VOLUNTEER FIRE BRIGADE.

ANNUAL DINNER. ' (Communicated). ;■ The annual dinner of the above-Bri-gade was held on Saturday last in the .jßrigadji Hall, ..when, 411 the members were present. '.The only other guests were officers of the Richmond Fire' Brigade, life hon. members, •''. «x-Captains Bird and Wimsett; «jt-iBecfcetary C. it ■Harley; ex-Foremen, T. E. ; woodward and R. Neal; ex-Fnwsien &. R. MacDonald, F. "N^ Jones, W. ilileyi Hon. Membsrs F. Eades and- A. Weavers, Sergt»i- Dougan, Messrs Acheson Smith and Price, and Captain Mitchell of : the Dunedin Fire Brigade. The hall had ,• been tastefully decorated, and. the tables looked.. -well with the eatables daintily laid, put, interspersed with ' floral . bou-quets/-'the work of the menders of the Brigade who formed the | dinner committee. ■ Captain Woodward in a few well-chosen, words welcomed the com.pany, and. expressed his gratification at seeing so many' present. After full : justice had been x done to the bountiful . far© provided, the toast list was proceeded with. ■-■•,..•.■ The Chairman, Captain Woodward, proposed tha health of the King, Queen, and Royal Family, which was received by the^company standing,- and the National Anthem was sung. The toas£ of the Richmond Brieado was propoajd. by Captain Woodward, coupled." with the name of Captain Wilkes.' He stated that although the Richmond B.ngade had only been snmmonedHhre* times during the year, and ! then onjytfot false alarms, yet the men showed >T oy their smartness in turning out thif^had Ihey .bean required they would,jiaye feen speedily to work-iThe toast was received with musical honours and cheers." _ ■ Captain, Wilkes, in replying, expressed hist gleisure at being present that evening; and stated that had his Brigade s yerVn'ces been required seriously during the, past pear, or should they be required" at any future time, the Brigade would- not not He found wanline n ,^^^-CaP.taw .Bird proposed thThealth of Captain. Mitchell, the Captain of the Dunejin Fire Brigade, whom all r£ pected, and who had been connected with fire matters for a «eat number of years. He stated that Captain MitcheU was always well received at the Conferences of the United Fire Brigade A». sociation, and that his remarks at these functions were carefully considered^ Captain Mitchell, on. rising to renlvwas received with a> P W*He s2&» that -he had been^conweted with &n b^gftdjs for 5l yeatBA wi hoped™ ?£*! c M a W more yews yet He rtated l&CT?f K d %««*»' Association in Id w fe f n , .Bf'Sa*" were represent- ' Z^J? v>hloh » k tl» present time spok 6j of the success of the Fire Brieada B°?^t Dunedin, and stateHhatX Bngade there W the finest, motor in Australasia, and were building a new station at a cost of some thoufands of SSSSSf-" ICa P«aMa«WI gave many interesting particulars regardinff fi r i Susr resumed Maf *^ b ««3 &ere^ary Boyes poposed the health of S. ofth » City Surveyor (Mr Acheeon fhil' a ?! ? po 5 c of thfi »«»provemente that had lately been effected,—increas?pH *, at . c , r - « u PP J y, /tc— and acknowledged, the increased assistance given by the Council, and also that rendered by the City Surveyor and staff .(Applausß"f\ Mr Acheson Smith, in renly,-ssate<| that the relations between himself and the members of the Brigade were of tne.-mostr cordial nature, and that it was a pleasure to him to assist that body in any way that he could. He also gavV some very interesting- reminiscenses of past experiences in other cities •■ and resumed his seat amidst cheers Ex-Fireman F. N. Jones, • in a few happy remarks, proposed the health ©J Sergt. Dougan, whom all were phased to see, present: ' v*^-* ■ Do Vg? n j in t«ply. gave a very interesting account of some of his past experiences, which, were attentively list ened to by all present. The Vfce-Chairman,, Lieutenant A. E Dee, proposed the toast of "Life and Honorary Members" in a few well chosen remarks, and the toast* was received with "three times threk't Scretary Boyes read aße)egka( trom other life members and. tfjeooß. surgeon, Dr: P. Andrew, who were for various reasons unable to be present. - '• Ex-ieaptahjs gird and Wunsett, <sxt secretary. C. R. Harley, and ex-Fire-men F, N. Janes, Q. McDonald, and W. Liley, an^ hoh. member. F." Eades responded. " ' ' ' Capt. Wilkes proposed; the toast of th* Nelson ..Volunteer Fire Brigade. Ho spoke, of the good discipline of tho Bri^ gade. .■ and praised the members foe t(v« work/done- in the past. It pleased him to se%' the kindly feeling that existed: between'J'Jhe officers and men, . and abo to n'6\e~sb >many wunjran£ active men becomma-members. He was sorry' to hea» th^t Foremaii B. Woodward had (rjesigned— a member, who, had 1 " proved himself one of the' smartest men in the colony.. ' " ' . :"" .'" ". Th toast was received by the visitora with ch«ers and musical henoura. Captain Woodward suitably fepKed, andvacknowledged tha eßorta of his of* fleers and men, and stated thatihe bert of- goad feeling existed between all th« members. ,OtHej toasts given were :— "Departed Members and Honorary Members- "The' Secretary and Treasurer"; "Captain Woodward"; and the "Dinner Committee, ', The -gathering terminated just before midnight, all joining in singing "Auld Lang Syne." and the National Anthem. During the evening songs were rendered .by :Firemen W. Woodward, C. Woodward, T. Hargreaveg, W. Sowihan, Simmonds, and Foreman E. Woodward, Secretary Boyes, and Mr Price; and xecitatiens were given by Mr F. N. Jones and'-Sbrgt. Dougan. The accompaniments ;.to the various' harmonies were tastefully played by Mr Pressing on a piano kindly lent for the occasion by Mrs Parsonage, Several selections on Mr : Baiting's grammpphone were tendered at interr vals ana w.ere greatly appreciated. During the evening two presentations were made — ene -to ex-Foreman E. Woodward (he having resigned his mem-"" bership in the Brigade after 17 years' continuous service) of a silver watch and chain; <and the other to Foremaii W. Woodward (silver-plated cruet and pickle jar) on tire occasion of his approaching marriage. -„-.-.