FIRE BRIGADE WORK

Taranaki Daily News, 30 April 1937, Page 8

FIRE BRIGADE WORK

TARANAKI ASSOCIATION MEETS. ANNUAL CONFERENCE BUSINESS. A satisfactory year was revealed at the annual ' meeting of the Taranaki District United Fire Brigades' Association at Hawera on Wednesday night. Welcoming the delegates on behalf of the citizens of Hawera, the Mayor, Mr. J. E. Campbell, conveyed to the brigade an expression of appreciation of the services that an efficient brigade rendered to the commtmity, giving it an added sense of security. He congratulated Secretary H. L. Warner upon his election as president of the association. Superintendent L. V. Gibson extended a welcome to the visitors on behalf of the Hawera brigade. . He hoped the conference would add further to the efficiency of the brigades, said the chairman, Superintendent E. Brocklebank (Stratford) in reply. He welcomed the Waverley brigade to membership, remarking that its afflliation brought the strength of the association to ten brigades. In future the name of the winning brigade would be engraved by the association on the Taranaki shield, it was decided. At the. suggestion of the Patea brigade it was agreed that the annual Taranaki conference should be held immediately after December 31, the end of the association's annual year, and before the Dominion conference.

Discussion of Rcmits. A definite ruling is to be sought from the United Fire Brigades' Association whether remits may be discussed by district conferences before the annual Dominion conference. The Stratford brigade recommended that the executive should be responsible for raising all the prize money for Taranaki demonstrations. As the association ;was already receiving £15 from the parent body it was suggested that the Taranaki association should provide £10 and the brigade undertaking the demonstration assume responsibiiity for the cost of entertainment. Congratulations upon his election as junior vice-president of the United Fire Brigades Association were extenctsd to Foreman C. H. Carey.

The balance-sheet, which showed a credit balance of £31 16s ld, compared with £34 10s 4d last year, was satisfactory when it is remembered that £5 was granted to the Hawera denionstration, and the material for the hose box built by Secretary Warner cost £2 11s, stated the report. The other items in the expenditure were small, which showed that the association's finances were being well managed. The past year had been exceptionally light for the executive, for no meetings had been held. The eighth demonstration of the association was held at Hawera and, although the events were all dry runs, was most successful, Hawera winning the championship, with Stratford runner-up, Since the last report the association was indebted to an anonymous donor for presenting a silver cup for the Gilberd memorial event. Waverley Joins Association, Congratulations were extended to Superintendent E. Brocklebank and Custodian W. Brocklebank, Stratford, on receiving their 25 years gold stars. Recently the secretary and Mr. Coad visited the Waverley brigade and induced it to join the association. Thanks were accorded the treasurer, Superintendent H. Nuttall (Eltham), the past president, Fireman N. Coad (Patea), the Hawera fire brigade, and the Press. A toast list was honoured at a gathering after the conference as follows: United Fire Brigades, Past-president P. T. Aitken— Secretary C. H. Carey; Hawera Fire Brigade, Mr. J. E. Campbell— Superintendent Gibson; _ Visiting Fire Brigades, Deputy-Supt. Zinslie— Patea, Inglewood and Waverley delegates; Gold Star Men, Secretary Warner— Ex-supt. Pettitt, Ex-foreman H. Hurley and Secretary C. H. Carey; The Artists and the Press, Foreman E. A. Hart— Mr. D. Malone. Items. were given by Messrs. D. Malone, Jago and H. Collier. The delegates present were Supt. E. Brocklebank (Stratford), chairman, Foreman A H. Hart (Hawera), Foreman A. H. Reesby (Inglewood), Foreman W. Millan (Patea), Supt. A. Melville (Kaponga), Secretary W. Quayle (Waverley), Fireman D. Butcher (Stratford), Fireman

G. L. Nees (Eltham), Fireman Lirnmer (Waitara), Secretary W. J. Miller (Manaia) and past-presidents A. M. Burrows (Eltham), P. T. Aitken (Stratford), J, Zinsli (Hawera), G. White (Manaia), E. Crossman (Inglewood), immediate past president Fireman W. Coad (Patea), pre-sident-elect Secretary H. L. Warner (Hawera), junior vice-president Fireman V. Pennington (Waitara), Supt. H. A. Nuttall (Eltham).