FIRE POLICE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 84, 20 August 1868, Page 2

FIRE POLICE.

His Worship tho Mayor of Chrhtchuroh attended at the Borough Council ofllce» at 4 o'clock yesterday afternoon for tho puvpoao of flwoarlng In members of tho Fire Polloe according to tho Act. About twenty assembled at tho Brigade ofllec, and marched fr in thence to tho Council Chambers. Captain G, 11. Wilson, Superintendent of tho Iflro Urlgado. wiw also In attendance, Mcmboi'H attached their Hlgnaturos to the following declaration, which, on formally taking tbo oath subsequently, thoy repeated after tho Borough Cleric :-" Wo tho underHlgned do Hwoar that vva will well and truly serve Our Sovereign Lady the Queen, In the ofllees of special lire constables in tho city of Chrlst.eJiuroh, enrolled under tho Canterbury Klro Ordinance 1804, without favour or affection, malice or 111-will, for the period of ono year from this daloj and, until wo am legally discharged, that wo will see and eauso hoy Majority 'h peaco to bo kept and preserved, and that we will prevent, to tho best of our power, all ojTohoxm against the mimoi and Unit while wo shall continue to hold tho said olllco, wo will to tlio best of oursklll and knowledge, discharge all the duties thereof faithfully, accord) tig to lawMW. H. Mitchell, L. A, Cole, 11, 10. Alport, WWlßlop, John C. St. Quoutlti, A. G. 11. Graham, D. L. Mundy, J. V. Ho«H, John llart,^WlUlam Gavin, Artomus Candy, William John Flshor, J, G. Huddenklau, -li\ A, Blsiiop, William Pratt, Koborfc Hutherlaild, A. J, Htovcn^, John C. Angus, Thomas 'A. llulllek, W, 1), Uamard, Qeorgo .Gram: W. Harris, M, 1), Hart, A, A, DobbM, \V. WlitTo? Sworn before 'mo this H)th day of A\l^ir«f, In the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, at Chrlatehuroh, In tho province of Canterbury, In tho colony of Now . Zealand, W. Wilson, .JtiHtldo <>J! the Peace for the Borough of, Chrlfltchurch." Tlio Mayor Intimated thai- he. would attend noxt evening for tho purptwe of administering tho oath to others who desired to join j and an ho was awaro that ono or two gentlemen who purposed Joining could' not possibly attend until Jfrlday, ho would also bo found at the Council olTleoH at four o'clock on tho afternoon of. that day, Immediately after being uworn In, tho members of tho force held a mooting, Mr L. G. Colo presiding, The Chairman fluid it was for tho meeting lo decide whether thoy should at once proceed with the election of. otllooro, or adjourn until another , day, It appeared to him that tho proflont wiw tho most fitting opportunity that could bo taken advantage of, as it was very unlikely that thoy would have ho full a meeting again, Mr W. 11. Mitchell considered that it would hardly ho fair to those who were yet to bo »woru In if tho election of ofllccrs were now proceeded with, Mr Nosh suggested that a general meeting should bo held for thin purpoao at another time. Mr li\ A. Bishop considered that as tho lato offleers had discharged their duties so well, the meeting could not do better than re-elect the Minna gentlemen. Mr Mundy thought that Hitch a proceeding would not ho fair to the other memborrt who wero yet to bo mvorn In, Mr J. Hart said it would bo bettor to postpone the election of ofllcers, as those yet to be sworn In might 'always say that tho officers hud been elected without their approval, Mr St Quontln did not consider that any change of oHlocm was necessary. As representing a full half of the body, the meeting had a right to give expression lo Us views. Mr Barnard desired to bo informed, as a now member, whether It was understood that the election of ollleerti would take placo that day. lie decidedly preferred to serve tinder the oftlccra appointed last year, and he should support a resolution to tho effect that tho gentlemen who held oiUlco last year should not for the next period, Mr Biilllck coincided with Mr Barnard, Ho would aupporl most earnestly (be re-election of the old officers, but It was juntas well that a general meeting should subsequently bo called for that purpose, A consultation took place between the old officers, and ultimately Mr Mitchell announced that they were of opinion that it would bo unwise to proceed with tho election (hell. It might take phvco to-morrow, and then no member could hoy that he had not a Hitffiolyiil, notice given him lo attend, Mr Angus thought it would be oh well for the old officers to contlnuo In office a week longer, so that any emergency might be met. Ho objected to electing tho old oillcorfl in n lump, preferring lo sec thorn elected by ballot. Ho would therefore move, " That the

present officers bo requested to act for one week, in tho cjwo of an emergency, ami that the election of officers do tako place this day week." Tho motion, on being seconded, ww agreed to, nnd tho mooting separated.