ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 449, 29 May 1863, Page 5

ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE

THK FIRE BRIGADE AND THR VOLUN-

TEERS. (To the Editor of the Daily Times.) . ~ Sin—lt will be unnecessary for me to ask as an indulgence that which in justice you will unhesitatingly want, to permit me not to make ex parte statements, or convey iniiendos on the misunderstood points at i«sue between the Volunteer Rifle? and the Fire BneaUe. but to tell the public through your columns all flic foots since the topic was first mooted ot blending two useful bodies iv the demonstration mode on Monday last in honour of Her Majesty's birthday. As no minutes are on record of these proceedings, which were conducted per force in a conversational manner, my perfect recollection oil the circumstances must necessarily be substituted, and I intend to give you a narrative of the events without unnecessary Monday week I suggested to the captain of the Volunteers the desirability of displaying the loyalty of our respective bodies by a co-operative movement to march in procession and christen tlie Fire Bell on the Cjueen's natal day, and Mr Mosp informed me then that my proposition should be submitted to the Volunteer Corps at their meeting on the following Wednesday. On the same (Wednesday) evening, a meeting of the Fire Brigade took place, and I was explaining to the membe s my project regarding the procession and the baptism of the rjre Bell, when an officer ot the Rifle Corps, who was present assured me tbat it had been determined by fiie Volunteers to take part in the inaugura

proceedings referred to, and ou the instant . I made known the pleasing information t) the members assembled. On the fol-lowing-day I waited'up™ Mr Moss with a desire to arrange preliminaries, and was invited by him to attend a meeting of the Volunteers oa Friday evening, which I accordingly did, when I was pained to observe not only a difference of opiuion as to the propriety of supporting the Fire Brigade, by tlw attendance of the Vo'unteer Oorp9; but also a palpable coolness on ilia part of some, and ;in unfriendly reticence on that of others. I was asked by o,ne member, who authorised the announcement in 'the public journals of the proposed fraternization ? arid by another, where the Volunteer b idy, as the elder corps, should bs placed in the procession. I replied, in front, and intimated that the Fire Brigade would provide refreshments and pay all ext)ense3. And on that evening- an officer of the Volunteers told mo that it was definitely settled that their body would join ours in the Birthday cslebration. On Saturday evening, Captain Moss called upon me, and said his men were of opinion that it would be better for them to practice at tin Rifle Butts on Monday, but that the subject would be re-considered at a meeting, to be hsld at 9 o'clock on the morning of the holiday. I then expressed my belief that this vacillating and extraordinary conduit would eneender n feeling of distrust and dissatisfaction between Jbe Rifles and Firemen, and on the same evening (Satuid;:y), nt 11 o'clock, an officer of fie Volunteer Corps waited upon me, and stated that the Riflemen would go to the Butts an 9 o'clock on Monday morning, proceed thence to Cavershain. and meet us at Church Hill on their return. This arrangement I strongly objected to, remarking that from first to last we had'been treated contemptuously, and if such was the intention of the Volunteers they could enjoy their recreation after their own fashion, and we should do the same ; in fact, that as they hai given themselves such airs, we could do without them. On Sunday night . the latter proposal was repeated to two officers of the Fiie Brigade and agreed to by them, but as those gentlemen had previously supported myself and the Lieutenant in our repudiation of it, I did not feel justified in rescinding the understood resolution of the responsible officers of the Fire Brigade; but even this consent, I was not aware of until Mcnday at noon. Therefore it was that, when almost at the conclusion of the ceremonies, I was asked what position the Volunteers were to tak*s up 1 I replied, " We don't require you; you had better go home." It was pretty well-known previous to tins that the Volunteers had pooh-poohed an alliance with the Fire Brigade; and on our return from Church Hill Capt. Moss remarked, that he did not blame his corps for not following the Fire Brigade through the tOWD.

With reference to the first letter sent to me by Captain Moss and published in this day's Times, I beg to state as my reason for not answering it, that a threat was conveyed—that the correspondence would be published, and I was anxious to see the whole question opened up, so as to enable me to deal with the exparte statements put forth. In conclusion, I beg respectfully to assert that my words used impetuously on Church Hill were not those I should have uttered when removed from the excitement by which I was surrounded ; and 1 am, not too proud to express my regret that I was betrayed into the perpetration of a hasty • expression— but I can assure the Volunteer* of Dunedin that I respect every corps whose members are actuated by feelings of loyalty to the Sovereign, and a desi'e to succour and save their fellow creatures iv the hour of calamity. Yours, &c, A. Charles Rees, Captain D.V.P.B.