THE POLICE AND THE FIRE BRIGADE.

Patea Mail, Volume IX, Issue 1059, 13 July 1883, Page 2

THE POLICE AND THE FIRE BRIGADE.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —Your correspondent “Observer” who stirred up so much dirt by misconstruing a few sensible words uttered by the Sergeant of Police, must be very fond of dabbling in mud. After-read-ing the correspondence, and bearing both, sides of the story, one cannot help feeling “ the mountain has laboured and brought forth a mouse.” It seems to me only a cowardly way of venting spleen to attack in public print a civilservice employe, who is not allowed to defend himself in the manner he is attacked. I for one,, don’t like this hitting below the belt. If the Fire Brigade had a grievance against “ the. man in blue,” there were other ways of having their grievance investigated—ways in which ■ Observer, the Fire Inspector, the Man' in Blue, and the' zealous Bell-ringer, might all have met, an umpire could have been appointed, and good all round square hitting allowed, and I believe the “Man in Blue” would come out best. • “ Abusing and threatening” the zealous young man who rang the bell!!! Now, what did the “abuse and threatening” consist of ? Just this, “ look here young fellow, this is not good enough, this is the second time within a short time there has been a false alarm, you will bring the Fire Brigade into disrepute, and I shall make you responsible for this false alarm.” Can: the most imaginative reader of your paper construe this into ; “ abuse and threatening.” ' I sympathise with the Brigade and admire their zeal and wish they were more substantially; encouraged, but I do not like to see a public servant struck when his hands: are tied, and fu ther, I admire the “ man in blue ” for his determination to prevent a hoax being played upon us. There’are serious reasons why the bell should not be rung except when danger,is imminent, such as alarming the sick and allowing, the cry of “ Wolf 1 wolf ! ” so that when the wolf does come there will be a repetition of the old fable. • —Yours, &c. . “ Another Friend op the Man in Blue.” July 10. [This matter has now been sufficiently ventilated.—-Ed.]