Correspondence. THE FIRE BRIGADE.

Tuapeka Times, Volume XX, Issue 1334, 16 March 1887, Page 3

Correspondence. THE FIRE BRIGADE.

{To the Editor) Slß.— How was it that the " old fireman of long standing " could stand with his bands in his pockets fire g <zing when only two members oi* the fire brigade had arrived on the scene of th<? fire — viz., a you'h and an old man over 60 years of age. This is a large brigade to comment upon as to their mode of laying on the water. Why, Sir, instinct in the lower animals will lead them to action. The old war iiorse at the sound of the bugle will etir to action, or the racehorse at the tread of the hoof behind will grow uneasy to be off. Why did not the smell of the smoke and fire have the same (ffi'Ct cm "old fireman." The only explanation I flid is that he is & man of theory and little practioe, as the infoimation he gives on hydraulics and right angles proves. The faot is the hose has burst in every length of it over and over again, and with the appliances the brigade had, combined with the absence of some of the best members, th-y did all they cou d be expected to. The only fault, in fact, lay in their being too active. Had the captain arrived at the fire with the corporation of a city father, coupled with prodigious jaw, added to stentorian lungs, and making a display of himself, he would have been look d upon as a smart fellow ; but Mr Christie happens to be a-> honest Scotchman, whose honesty lead him to say little, but mount to the roof and assist in extinguishing the firo hence the censure. I tbink if the brigade have assisted in saving £2000 worth of etook and property in the two la t fires in Lawrence, th»y have done good to some person. I think sufficient has been said about fire extinguishing ; we might now say a little on fire raising. We might live in a town in the old country the size of Laurence for a quarter of a century and not see a fire. Within this period we have seen well upon thirty fires in md around Lawrence. Surely there must be something rotten not only in Denmark but more so in New Z aland. However, if a brigade U t.o be a standing affair more bands are Dee ted, I believe there are as many men ia the employ of Herbert ani Co. and the luapeka Times as would supplement or' supplant the "old women" who are in the brigade at present. If not, the old women might have the pleasure of turning over on their beds, giving no heed when summ ned to assist at a fire on their premise?. — I am, &0. , Fibeman.