GISBORNE FIREMEN

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19129, 25 September 1936, Page 4

GISBORNE FIREMEN

RECORDS OF SERVICE TOTAL OF >O2 YEARS A challenge issued by the Feildiug Fire Brigade in regard to' the brigadesman with the longest active service and the oldest active man in the brigades throughout the Dominion is unable to he beaten by (he Oisborne Fire Brigade, but the local men have a record of service aggregating 562 years that will stand high in the .records; of New Zealand forces. The average length of service is 16 years. The Feildiug brigade has in its service Fireman Dan Kitchen, who is 82 years of age and has been a fireman for 54 years Up, joined the Wanganui brigade in 1882, but lias served most of the intervening time in the Feildimr brigade. The man with tho longest service'in the Gisborne brigade ig the deputy-Bupcrintend-

out, Mr. A. Thomson, who joined as a cadet, in March, 1889. and lias 48 years’ service. There are only two men in the Gisborne brigade who are not in possession of a five-year medal and they have served for four years and three years respectively. Besides the deputy superintendent. who heads the list with 48 years’ service, there are Messrs. W. Wildish 31 years, Donovan.3o years, J. W. Kane 28 years, D. L. Ferguson 28 years, J. Weston 27 years, A. Wallace 24 years, S. W'ldish 22 years, W. Griffin 22 years, and A. Drummond 20 years. There are 23 mejnbers in the brigade and the service of the other men is five of nine years, six of five years, one of j four years, aud one of three years, I