FIRE BRIGADES CONFERENCE.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 10300, 7 March 1905, Page 4

FIRE BRIGADES CONFERENCE.

(Per Press Association.) DUNEDIN, last night. At the. Eke Li ig.i ir-j' Comkrence, m-jst of the proposals for amending the rules of ■competitions were lost. Tlie secretary stated that out of 92 brigades belonging to the Association seven only were not represented. The report of the committee, stating that the time was* opportune for establishing a New Zealand section of the British Fire Prevention Committee was unanimously adopted. A draft of the Fire Brigades Bill was discussed at length. Some exception was taken to clause 10, which gave the Government the right lo veto the estimates of fire boards and submitting balance-sheets to Parliament. Mi* Arnold, M.H.R., by request, addressed the conference. He suggested that the .conference should paiss a resolution which did not bind them down to every word m the Bill, and back it up by appointing representatives to give evidence before a Parliamentary committee. It was then unanimously resolven that the conference approve generally of the draft, and a Fire Brigades Bill Committee was appointed to convey to Sir J. G. Ward the Association's opinion of the Bill. It was decided to hold the next conference m Nelson. The following officers were appointed: — President, 1 Captain Toomey, Lyttelton ; vice-presi-dents, Captain Bellringer (New Plymouth) and J. Battle ; secretary, Supt. Gilberd (re-elected); auditor, F. W. Gamer (Napier). In connection with the fire brigades' demonstration, a torchlight procession through Prin epss and George streets took place this evening, and was; a picturesque sight. An enormous crowd gathered mi the .streets, the night being fine. About 500 firemen took part. in the procession, all the gear of the local brigade being utilised. There were six bands, a number of ex-firemen, and carriages with the Mayor and Councillors, and members of the* demonstration committee. The brigades will be entertained to-morrow at a picnic, and on Wednesday the competilion commences.