UNITED FIRE BRIGADES. CONFERENCE AT AKAROA.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 28, 10 March 1914, Page 8

UNITED FIRE BRIGADES.

CONFERENCE AT AKAROA.

A large number of delegates attended the opening of the annual Conference of the United Fire Brigades Association at Akaroa yesterday. President G. .'Spriggins (Wknganui) sided.

The Mayor of Akaroa, with.members of the Akaroa Borough Couneil, and the chairman of the Akaroa County Council extended to the association a hearty welcome to Akaroa.

EXECUTIVE'S REPOET. The report presented by the executive stated that the affairs of the association were in a very, satisfactory state; The number of brigades affiliated with the association at the close of the year was 127, an increase of three. from the previous year. The Arch Hill and Parnell Brigades had been absorbed by the Auckland City Brigade during the year. The following brigades had become affiliated :■ — Denniston, Frankton Junction, Pukekohe, Remuera, Te Awamutu. Since the new year the Leeston, Manga-weka-and Whakatane Brigades joined, making the present total 130. In the course of the year) four calls were made for financial assistance on behalf of comrades in distress, and the total amount subscribed to date was £176 19/-, for which members were heartily thanked. During the year the association suffered the loss by death of one of its esteemed past-presidents, the late Mr J. Hughes, of Auckland. Gold stars for 25 years' service had been earned during the year by 15 members. Six had been presented, and nine would be presented at the Conference. The following received gold stars, as. mentioned: Foreman C*. J. Borehain (Auckland City), Foreman W. Williamson (Auckland City),' Branchman A. Wallis (Gore), Superintendent J. Fenton (Grey Lynn), Lieut. C. S. Wells (Invercargill Municipal), Foreman T. Hodgson (Parnell). The following would be presented at the Conference:—Lieut. '. F. Fisher (Greytown), Fireman J. J. Braggins (Greytown), Secretary J. G. Waiton (Greymouth), Fireman L. La Broom (Spit), Captain T. Barber (Ashburton), Foreman A. Thomson (Gisborne), Fireman W. J. Ford (Eangiora), Secretary G. Hilton (Timaru), and Captain W. H. Butler (Eden Terrace). The accident assurance branch of the association was in a satisfactory condition. The revenue amounted to £233, and the expenditure, which included a death claim, to £137, thus leaving a profit for the year of £96 13/5, and the total fund now at the credit of the Accident Fund was £1949. The balance-sheet Bhowed receipts £2093 made up of £1064 balance brought forward, £IOO Government subsidy, a»d £929 subscriptions, goods, etc. The expenditure for the year totalled £1525, the chief items being £504 travelling expenses, £246 competition plant, alid £l5O prize fund. The credit balance stood at £568. The liabilities were put down at £2OO, and the assets were valued at £736, leaving a balance of £536. The Government grant for 1914, of £3OO, had come to'. hand too late to bo included in the balance-sheet, so the actual amount of assets was £836.

The report and balance-sheet were adopted.

FORMER DECISION RESCINDED. The Gisbome delegate proposed that the decision of President Boyes at the Rotorua Conference, regarding Fireman Morrison's application for a gold star be rescinded, and that the application be reconsidered. It was explained that Fireman Morrison joined the Gisbome Brigade in 1883, and in 1888 he was appointed custodian, at a small salary. Friction resulted, it being then considered that no volunteer fireman should receive any.payment, and Fireman Morrison's name was removed from the brigade roll, although he still an active member of the brigade and attended parades and fires. When it became common for volunteer firemen to receive payment, Morrison was reinstated. It was pointed out that, according to the rules, an applicant's service must be, in accord with the association roll, but Fireman Morrison was off the roll for some years past. The conference suspended the rule, and set up a sub-committee to consider the matter.

The sub-committee reported that from 1889 to 1909 Morrison V name was struck off the Gisbome Fire Brigade's roll. The striking off was, in the opinion of the committee, improper, as Fireman Morrison continued to be an active member of the brigade during the period when his name was struck off. The committee considered that Fireman Morrison should not be penalised, and it recommended that he be granted the gold star. The recommendation was adopted by the conference.

COMPETITION CONDITIONS. With regard to competition conditions, it was decided that' pressure gauges on all demonstration grounds should be placed in conspicuous positions. It was also decided that the scales used for weighing competition gear be tested by an inspector of weights and measures before the start of the' competition, no other scales to be used, and no appeal to be allowed against the scales. Another 'proposal, that in a ladder event the ladders be fixed to one stand and the. competitors to have to touch the same finishing barrier, was approved. In all future United Fire Brigades' Association <1 c monstrations drop discs or shutters win be used. Manual events will not be counted in the aggregate for the highpressure shield, but only for the manual shield.

Several proposals concerning the competition conditions were rejected. They included proposals that each brigade be allowed to run six men at .demonstrations instead of five, as at present; that the rule concerning penalties be revised; that competitors be allowed to run in any kind of boots or shoes except shoes with steel spikes; that the association event be struck out of the programme of future demonstrations, or should not count in points for the shield; that the manual event should be struck out of the programme; that the dressing competition be struck out; and that in the programme for the 1915 demonstration a new event should be included, in which one man should run syds, pick up a 50ft length of dry hose properly strapped to hydrant and branch, run 25yds to plug, insert hydrant, connect 50ft of hose, run out length, fix branch, and finish syds in front of branch, time to be taken until the man crosses the syds mark.

GENERAL. The Conference decided to strike out the compulsory clause in isule 15, relating to levies. A suggestion that the uniforms of firemen be standardised was referred to the new executive.

It was decided that name badges should be procured for the different brigades. On the motion of the Dunedin City Brigade, it was decided that all of the association's service honours be standardised, so that all awards should be issued alike, and that a member who could afford it should not have the opportunity, as previously, of paying, for a gold two-year bar instead of the silver bar issued by the asSocia-, tibn. •

A proposal from Devonport that all intending members of brigades should be medically examined was rejected. Eeporting on an application by theatre auxiliary firemen at Dunedin to be allowed to enter the association as a separate body, the executive disagreed with the proposal. The association approved the executive's report. There was considerable discussion regarding brigadesmen having to attend territorial and fire brigade drill on the same evening. The Napier Brigade proposed that where brigade members had to attend territorial drill on the evening of a brigade muster, they be marked on the brigade roll as present at the muster. Ultimately the matter was adjourned until after a deputation had waiied on the Hon. F. H. D. Bell, who arrived from Wellington this morning and will meet the Conference tomorrow. ■