The Star. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1882.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 4563, 8 December 1882, Page 2

The Star. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1882.

"The £50 chequb forwarded as a present to the Brigade by Mr B. H. Bhodes would have been a most acceptable addition to the funds at this particular time ; and the action of the City Council in voting half of the amount to the Fire Prevention Fund has been keenly felt in oonsequenoe." That is one of the items of information which the übiquitous reporters have placed before the publio to-day ; and a peculiarly instructive item it is. The faots connected therewith are worth recapitulating. On November 1 a destructive fire ocourred at the residenoa of Mr B. H. Bhodes, on the Fapanni road ; and our Volunteer Firemen, ignoring the City boundaries — as they have always done when there has been a chance of their doing useful work— did all in their power to avert the destruction of a> valuable property. On this particular occasion they did neither more nor lees than they have done dozens of times previously— they were content to saorifice a no inconsiderable portion of their weekly income in order to save life or property. The Brigade being bo essentially a "Volunteer body, it has become the custom for people whom they have specially aided to reoognise their efforts by a " donation "to the Brigade. The italicised words are important. With the adviiability of this custom we have now just nothing to do. Shakesperian students, and for that matter people generally, are well aware that " Customs, though they be ever so ridioulous, yet are followed." Ihe following, in this instanoe, was of a halting aort ; though the reason was obvious enough. Mr Bhodes had been buraed out of house and home ; and not even- a rioh man can at a moment's notice take unto himself a new local habitation. For a time he must drift about, dependent; upon the courtesies of his friends, or upon hotel conveniences Not in a moment can he restore the methodical life so swiftly and effectually interrupted. Henoe it came about that) the lookedfor "recognition" from Mr Bhodes did not arrive at an early date. The City Council became officially virtuous, and on Nov. 13 the Fire Brigade Committee recommended— " That application be made to Mr Bhodes for £21, for the use of the Fire Brigade plant at his residence." On Nov. 18 Mr Bhodes sent a cheque for £50, and his brief letter conveyed a quiet but none the less severe rebuke. Nine or ten days later the Council met, and then the following singular resolution was adopted : — " That £25 of the turn forwarded be presented to the Fire Brigade, and £25 placed to the credit of the Fire Prevention Fund." Upon what prinoiple was the Counoil acting ? They sent in a bill— for a bill it was to all intents and purposes— for £21, How was this sum arrived at t And how, assuming the claim to have been a just one, oame the Counoil to appropriate £4 in excess of their claim f What of the Tolunteer Firemen! Were their losses of time justly appraised by the Counoil, and does £25 represent the value of their services on the ocoasionf The feeling of the men, as we know from speoial enquiry, i« deoided enough. They, in effect, deolare that — "These naughty times put bars between the owners and their rights," They hold that they, and they only, have a right to possess the genorous gift, not as payment— they altogether repudiate that idea— but as a donation to their special fund. That fund, as our readers are aware, furnishes a reading room and library for them, and enables them, if they so will, to minister sometimes to the amusement of the publio. The City Counoil have hold of the wrong end of the stick. They should have commenced by providing a olearly-dofined system — if that was the idea whioh glimmered in their official mind— relative to fires beyond the City boundaries ; and a proper soale of charges should have been drawn up. Therewith they should, as a natural soquence, have eboliihed the volunteer system for beyond-the-belt fires, and have prepared a proper soale of payments to duly enrolled members of the Brigade. There will be a pretty unanimous opinion, we imagine, as to whioh body— the Council or the Brigade— has the moral olaim upon Mr Bhodes' donation. The affair promises, under existing circumstances, to seriously affect that good feeling hitherto existing in the Brigade towards the Council. As if to ensure a breaoh, the Council', at a late hour last night, had not even paid over the voted half of the money, though nine days had elapsed since the adoption of the singular resolution. The very body that was bo ready to impute wilful negligence to Mr Rhodes, stands condemned of official negleot of the worst type.