THE WELLINGTON COUNCIL AND THE FIRE BRIGADE.

Timaru Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 2888, 13 December 1898, Page 3

THE WELLINGTON COUNCIL AND THE FIRE BRIGADE.

Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, December 12. This morning the New Zealand Times published an interview with; Uaptain Kemsley, chief of the Fire Brigade, regarding the Royal Oak Hotel sre m which he made a strong attack upon the City Council for neglecting to supply the brigade with proper appliances and men to work them. The matter was brought up at a meeting of the pnblic works committee of the City Council to-night when the Mayor made a statement showing the extent to which the brigade had been assisted by the Council. He pointed out that the amount expended on the maintenance of the brigade amounted to 5£ per cent, of the total general revenue of the corporation. He said that he felt so strongly concerning Captain Eemsley's attitude that he, did not care to commit himself to raakinc a reply at this meeting. Several councillors warmly deprecated Captain Kemsley's remarks, and thought it was scandalous that any servant of theirs should criticise his employers m such a manner. No other body of. men m any capacity would stand such a thing, The committee took no action m the matter, but it was understood from the mayor's statement that the Council would set up an enlarged fire brigade committee with power to call expert evidence to make an exhaustive investigation into the circumstances surrounding the destruction of St. Mary's Roman Catholic Cathedral, and the Royal Oak hotel.