GOLD STAR NIGHT.

Thames Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 17762, 9 December 1929, Page 5

GOLD STAR NIGHT.

AT FIRE BRIGADE STATION.

FOREMAN E. KENNY HONOURED.

TWENTY-FIVE YEARS’ SERVICE.

It was in honour of Foreman E. Kenny, of the Thames VolunteervFire •Brigade, that close on 400 people gathered in the Station on Saturday evening, and practically every local body, sports body, Fire Brigade and Borough for miles around was represented to see him presented with the United Fire Brigades’ Association’s Gold Star for 25 years’ service, and the Thames Borough Council’s gold medal

Superintendent A. Garrett was in the chair, and associated with him at the official table were Foreman E. Kenny, Mr A. M. Samuel, M.P., Superintendent Watts, U.F.8.A., President Gilbert (Onehunga), U.F.8.A., the Mayor, Superintendent Moore (Paeroa), Secretary P. L. Jenkin, Firemap L. Alexander, ex-Superintendent H. Stone (Gold Star), ex-Superintendent Addison (Gold Star), ex-Deputy-Superintendent J. Pratt, and ex-Sec-retary W. Hammond. Many were the comments upon the beauty of the decorations, which featured the nine gold stars won by members of the Brigade, in an illuminated plaque, whilst r the Rose, Thistle and Shamrock, with many other cabalistic signs peculiar to .firefighting, adorned the walls. ' The windows were curtained with the Thames Brigade’s colours, and the ceiling was decorated with, festoons of gaily-coloured paper hangings. The whole scene was most animated and the decorations a credit to the persons responsible. During the course of the., evening the following toast list was enthusiastically honoured:

“The King”; “Local Bodies/’ proposed by Foreman Kenny, responded to by the Mayor (Thames Borough Council), and Mr C. S. Donovan (Thames Harbour Board); “Foreman Kenny,” the Mayor; “The Parliament of New Zealand,” Mr Bongard, responded to by Mr A. M. Samuel, M-P. ; “The , United Fire Brigades’ Association," Supt.. Garrett, responded to by President Gilbert (Onehunga) and Secretary Watts.

In proposing the toast of the local bodies, Foreman Kenny referred to the extremely cordial relations which had subsisted between the Thames Fire Brigade and the local bodie? with which it came, in contapt. . He stressed the fact that the requests which the. Brigade. had made to the Council had been always granted,’aind expressed the hope that such , Would always be the case. '

The Mayor, in response, also ; pre.-i marked on the cordiality, of thehfielatlonship, and averrea- that" the son why ' the Brigade’s requests were granted was. because they, were . invariably reasonable, since It was pontrolled by men of mature mind. The Borough was struggling along with enormous financial difficulties, brought about by lack of town development in the past, which meant that ’the present generation had to do thd ' development which should have been done in the early days. Mr Donovan, in a witty and pithy response, apologised for the absence of the chairman of the Harbour Board, Mr Henry Lowe, and asstired the Brigade of the high esteem ip which the Harbour Board held it:;

In presenting Foreman Kenny with the 'U.F.B.A. Gold Star, Supt. Garrett congratulated him upon the exceptionally fine record which he had 'made. Out of a possible attendance of 1485 in the past 25 years, he had actually done 1236' attendances, a record of which anyone might well be proud. He was also glad to congratulate him upon the wholehearted way in which he had given rein to the volunteer spirit.

“During the whole of the 25 years you have been with me,! 1 continued Supt. Garrett, “I do not- wish to - be associated with a: better officer, and, in fact, I could not be. You have always been anxious and willing to carry out your duty, and you have upheld in a fine way the old traditions'of the fire. service of this country. I feel that I must thank you; Foreman Kenny, on behalf of the citizens of Thames for your services to them, and I also wish to thank you for your loyal service to myself.” Foreman Kenny was “then decorated with the Gold Stab. )

In pinning on the Borough medal, the Mayor referred to the fact that the Borough would always be mindful of its duty- in recognising the services to the community rendered by firemen such as Foreman Kenny. The Council desired to encourage the volunteer spirit, and perhaps the citizens did not realise what it meant to answer the call of the fire-bell for 25 years. \ The'ir answer was in the remarkable record of attendances shown by their guest. It must be a great cause of satisfaction and relief to the citizens to know that such a, disinterested body of men as the Fire Brigade wer e ready at all times to come to their assistance in cases of fire.

The Mayor, then briefly “proposed the health of the guest of honour, adding that the Borough medal was probably the highest form of decoration which a man could receive from his fellow citizens, and it was interesting to note that this was the second case in the Kenny family—another record to be proud of. Foreman Kenny, whose health was drunk in bumpers, mentioned that he

felt great pride in the acquisition, both of the Gold Star and the Borough medal, and paid a feeling tribute to the superintendent and his comrades. It had been a very pleasant 25 years for him. and he had enjoyed himself. He also thanked the members of the Brigade for their assistance in lining the shed and also for the way in which they had worked to make the evening’s function a success. A brief tribute to the lady supporters of the Brigade and an expression of loyalty to the Brigade terminated his speech. In response to the toast of “The Parliament of New Zealand,”, Mr Samuel loosed a speech in his happiest vein. Humorous, and tinged with satire, it frequently convulsed his audience. He eulogised the volunteer spirit as was exhibited in the Thames Brigade, and mentioned the popular conception that the members of Parliament were at daggers drawn on all occasions was a mistake. Off duty they were friendly, and he was glad to say that they were as fine a body of men as were to be found anywhere in the world in Parliament. They carried out their duties to their country and their constituents to the best of their ability, and he had never heard one word of reproach against any member whilst he had been in the House. “One thing I wil ,say,” declared Mr Samuel, “Politics in New Zealand are absolutely. clean, and I am able to assure you that the ideal of every member, be his. party what it may, is to serve his country first. Whilst that spirit, Is in evidence. New Zealand need never be afraid.”

i. It was in jocular mood that the member referred to the “cut” > and the fJOO bonus. “Oh, yes,” admitted Mr Samuel, “I voted for it, and I say this: Any member who voted against the ‘cut’ and the ‘restoration of the cut’, or refused to take the £ 100, should send not only his £IOO back but All the other money he gets, I won’t say. earns.” (Laughter and appluase). After convulsing his audience with several anecdotes In connection with the Hebrew version of Fire Brigades, Mr Samuel concluded with a tribute to the fire services of the Dominion and Thames in particular. Supt. Garrett proposed the toast of the United Fire-Brigades’ Association, and the responses by President Gil.bert and Secretary Watts dealt mainly with the technical side of the necessity for further Governmental support of the requests of the U.F.B.A. —a matter with which Mr expressed himself In full accord. A fine musical and elocutionary programme was featured, amongst which were the’ following items: “K” Boys’ Orchestra (overture); J. A. Briggs, Kipling’s “Mandalay,” “Yeoman’s Wedding Song”; EJ. Watson, “The Gladiator,” “Brave Eyes”; L, White,, whistling solo,. “The Desert Song”-; Gi< Kerby, viblin solos, “Salutation,” -Souvenir”; Awanui String Band; A. Bailey, “Glorious Devon,” ‘Til Sing Thee Songs of Araby”; H. Beech, “The Labour Leader, “Dada! Dada!” “Down by the Old Oak Tree”; W. Johnston, “The Mighty Deep,” “Little World of Gladness.” ‘ Other service honours were presented to;— ; Fireman C. Bunting, silver bar, com- ' pleting 7 years. ' Fireman J. C. Scott, silver bar, completing 7 years. Deputy-Supt. A. Fleming, .silver bar, completing li years. Fireman M. Hoskins, silver bar, completing 11 years. Fireman A. White, silver bar, eom- ‘ sVi pleting 13 years. Foreman F. Wilton, silver bar, com■u, pleting 15 years.