FIRE-FIGHTERS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVII, Issue 44, 22 October 1913, Page 5

FIRE-FIGHTERS.

AT THE FESTIVE BOARD. STRATFORD'S VOLUNTEER BRIGADE. The annual dinner of the Fire 811-, gade was held at the lire station last' night, following on. the namial meeting, at which the following officers; were elected: Captain Grubb, Lieut.l Wilson, First Foreman Rowson, Second Foreman Evans, Treasurer Evans. and Secretary A. E. Gorton. Ex-cap-tain Kivell and Firemen Drake and Davey were elected to the committee. | Fireman Burgos was elected custodian, i At the dinner there was a full muster of members, and the borough Council was represented by the .Mayor and; Crs. King and Thompson. •'Straifcrd Volunteer Fire Brigade." i In proposing the toast, the Mayor, said the local brigade was most efficient and worthy of the fullest sup-, port of the community. They were volunteers prepared to give their time to protect the property of the residents of the town, and when they willingly responded to a fire call, probably did not realise to the fullest extent the services they rendered to the citizens. Any volunteer body in whatever capacity they acted were desrving of the best wishes and goodwill of their fellow men. In Captain Grubb the brigade possessed an officer most suitable tor the position, at all times working well with his men, tactful, and always on the lookout to improve the brigade. The officers who in the past controlled the destinies of the brigade were also deserving of a ms?.d of praise, and in this connection he particularly referred to ex-Captain Kivell, who in the very best of spirit, after relinquishing the position of Captain, remained with the brigade as a fireman. From an inspection of the plant, it appeared to be in the very best of order, and although the balance 'sheet as submitted that night only skbjired very small profit, it was no disgrace to ,the brigade. On the contrary, it showed that it was neces-

sary to expend all the money received. In protecting the property of the community from fire it must be realised that the brigade were preventing a loss for the reason that notwithstanding a policy of inusrance, a fire on all 'occasions represented a loss to the country. A pleasing feature of the annual report was the

fact of eight new- members joining the brigade, this number compared with the full strength of the brigade,

some twenty-seven members, reprc

senting a big percentage of increase. In concluding the Mayor expressed his regret that owing to other engagements, this was the first function.nf the brigade he had been able to attend, but hoped in future to have the pleasure of again being present at the annua,] meeting and gathering.

Captain Grubb, in response, said the brigade greatly appreciated the manner in which the Borough Councillors attended their dinner. The brigade looked on the Council as their'fathers,) and that night he could report that the brigade was a fine body of men, the strength being the best for many years. The property of the town was quite safe in their hands. A number of new members had recently joined and they were prepared for any fire which could be provided for them. "The Bcrcugh Council." The Council, said Captain Grubb, had always been willing to supply new gear. '1 ids year they had supplied a thousand feet of hose and a reel, both of which were badly wanted, and on 1 the estimates there was a sum pro-j vided for.putting in a plug for the brigade's practices. In the past the' brigade and the Council had worked hand in hand, and there had never been any ruptures worth speaking of. At present Stratford had as good a brigade as it had ever had. in reply, the Mayor said Captain Grubb was right when he said that the! brigade and the Council had always! worked well together. It should bo so and would be so, so long as the firemen were true to the trust imposed en them. Members of the brigade would, no doubt, go willingly to a lire, but he thoughtj they hardly realised the great responsibility which their services took! from the shoulders of the community.! At every fire property ami human life were at stake, and the fireman had the opportunity to .save 'both. Where property was destroyed by lire it was a loss to the community, even though! covered by insurance. The Borough! Council was always willing to do all! it could for the brigade—there was ai responsibility on the Council to do so.' The efficiency of the brigade depended! greatly on the assistance given t>v' the Council, but it had to be remom-l bered that the financial demands on! the Council sometimes made it necessary to refuse certain demands. When' , !. .. I . ■ .... I i- i .■

practice lie had had reluctant !v to! advise tlie Council not to grant the 1 request, as money was not *»mf!able ;! I)iu he had always fyrnred the work and ii had now boon authorised. The brigade were the host judges of what' plant was required, and if reasonable demands were made the Council would do what it could. Me had beard a motor lire engine mentioned, but he did not think such an engine was' necessary. (V King said the Council recognised that a lire brigade was a necessity and not a luxury. There were times when the brigade and the Council differed, but on such occasions the members of both bodies were doing the. best according to their lights for ilia

•rood of the town. It was many years since he had first attended the annual dinner of the brigade, and ne felt sure the Mayor, whose first appearance at the function it was, would realise wnat ho had missed by not attending. Looking at the present plant and remembering the plant that existed when Mr Kivell took over the brigade years ago it was borne in on one how hard the old members must have had to work. The younger members, whose duty merely was to fix a hydrant on a plug, could hardly realise the hard work of running out the old engine, and the still harder work of enticing the good men of the town to work the pump. He himself had once taken a turn on the pump, but though he knew he was doing good work for the town, he soon gave it up as he felt that the hard work was no good for his health. On such occasions there was a temptation for them to resolve themselves into a mutual admiration society, but he could truthfully say that the Fire Brigade was the most self-sacrificing body in the town—with the exception of the Borough Council. (Laughter). Borough Councillors got raked in the Council, out of the Council, and sometimes by the brigade. He (Cr King) had got raked when Fireman Sole stood on the fire-plug. 'Laughter). He could state that in the old days the brigade was thought just as much of as it was to-day. Cr Thompson also spoke, paying a tribute to the evident keeness of the men for their work, and the excellent condition in which the gear was kept. The Cold Star Holder. Lieutenant • Wilson proposed the Cold Star Holder apd Life .Mpjnhers. Tim only man holding the star in Stratford was ex-Captain Kivell. (Applause). Everybody did not know what the Star stood for—it represented twenty-five years’ continuous honorable service. He hoped that ere long Foreman Bowson and Fireman Crossan would receive the Star. Cr. King said he had known Mr Kivell for many years. Mr Kivell had taken a prominent part in forming the brigade and had gathered round him excellent men for the work. People generally did not recognise the amount of work the first brigade had to do or the responsibility resting on the brigade. At any time the old engine might have gone, wrong and t l 'a fire sweep through the town. Mr Kivell had done a great deal of work for the town, for which he had never Imcn paid; hut no doubt, as be sat there that night, Mr Kivell felt that the Star compensated him for what he had done. fApolause.) Ex-Captain Kivell was greeted with loud applause on rising to respond. He said he had gone heart and soul into t’ne work of the brigade, and he hoped present members of the brigade were actuated by a similar spirit. His work had been a labor of love, but it had been hard work. When ;i new captain was elected it was suggested to him that he would, no doubt, retire from the brigade, but he had decided to continue work as a fireman; and his services would always he available to the brigade while he was alive and in Stratford. They might not he affected directly by a fire loss, but everybody in the community was indirectly affected by a fire. In the old days it was hard work to pull the old engine all over the town and on reaching the fire to work the pumps, when the men were hardly able to lift their arms, let alone the pump-handle. The old engine even went out to the country districts to attend to hush fires. Once when the engine was taken to 1 oko, SdO feet of hose were used and the engine threw a jet Soft. high. Sometimes lie spoke somewhat strongly at the meetings, but he was always doing bis best for the brigade. Cr. Thompson spoke of the help which Mr Kivell had rendered to the brigade. Other Toasts. Fireman Drake proposed “The Ladies,” and acknowledged the extent to w hich iho brigade depended for help on the ladies. Fireman A. E.Gorton responded, making particular reference to the beio rendered at the last juvenile ball.

During the evening songs were eontributed by Messrs. J. IT. Thompson, and Harrington, Firemen A. E. and J. T. Gorton", and Bradley, Foreman Rowson and Lieut. Wilson, Lieut. Wilson and Fireman A. K. Gorton contributed a vocal duet. The accompaniments were nicely played by Mr J, 11. Thompson,