N.Z. CENTENNIAL

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 55, 7 March 1939, Page 8

N.Z. CENTENNIAL

FIRE DEMONSTRATION SUGGESTED AT FEATURE OF CELEBRATIONS | . ' The suggestion that the associatior should stage a demonstration at Wellington next year as a centennia e feature was suggested by Mr. J. W )f; Heenan, Under-Secretary of the Des partment of Internal Affairs, in speak- - ing at the annual conference of th* •- United Fire Brigades’ Association o: i- Ne\y Zealand at Wanganui yesterday Mr. Heenan said that 1940 woulc I- be the most important year in th* n history of the Dominion for yvhat yva: it done in that year yvould set a stand 11 ard for the next 100 years. The assoe ciation could look back with pride or 60 years of community service and ii s yvas his suggestion that the tyvo-year iota should be altered for next year If the association held a demons!ra i tion next year it could continue the • i fixtures at two-yearly intervals thereI from and yvould thus coincide in 194 j ijyvith the Nelson centennial and the _ tercentenary of the discovery of New t Zealand by Abel Tasman, the cenleny ary of Otago in 1948 and the centen- ’ ary of Canterbury in 1950. e l Mr. Heenan’s suggestion is to be ■ < tiv* - i Tauranga; Foreman H. J. Irw in, Tc ■ | Ayvamutu; Deputy-Superintendent F u j O'Riley. Upper Hutt: Foreman E. R -I Morgan, Waihi; Capt. H. S. Willetts, ’ ; Waimat* ; Secretary R. F. Came, Wai- ’ I paw a; Superintendent J. A. Chambers, • - aipukurau; First-Class Fireman J I | A. Dale. Wellington City; Fireman Z , Jones, Westport; Fourth-Officer E. C ei Smith. Wanganui; Superintendent. R ■ (>. H. Mclntosh. Waiuku; Foreman F. ■■IS. Appleton. Waverley; Fireman S. JI Dent. Whakatane; Secretary C. A ■ : Mead ’proxy’, Woodville; Firema<n F. I C. Eyles. Whangarei; Superintendent II W. Bainbridge, Wairoa; Superintend- | ent Croswell (proxy), Waitara. i| Th? following remit from the ■Thames Volunteer Fire Brigacie j prompted a lengthy discussion and ■ | was carried by 70 votes to 64 on a • jshow of hands; "That, invitations for • futuie conferences and demonstra* •i Lons b? called for at ttic same tim. • as nominations for th? executive, the 1 {closing date to be the same and the ‘ i voting to take place at the conftr- ‘ I ence. Brigades to be notified in tim*? •i so that delegates may be instructed • how to vote.” A paper. "Protection from Smoke,'' ■.delivered by Secretary S. Hague, of ’Hamilton. concluded the morning | ! session, delegates adjourning fur a Session. ; The following remit, from the Hast- ; ings brigade yvas lost on a show oi [hands alter failing to prompt any ' idiscussion: "That the programme o jthe competition events be circulated 'among brigades a month prior to the ! conference in yvhuno demons*, a- ; - tion is being held." ' ’’That it be a recommendation io jthe executive to consider the question yof revising the size and design of the i five-year service medal "- a remit i I from the Milton Fire Brigade, failed ■ to draw a seconder. i The (juestion of white lops on caps ; was considered at length, when the r I following remit from Grey mouth was . i moved: ’"Tha' wiiite tops be wern 1 :on caps at tire brigade procession.' The remit was lost by a substantial I majority . The chairman explained [thn in future white tops would not be permit ted at conferences ana demons! rat ions. The association, i hoyvevH. had no control over the bri- ’ gades when they were in their oyvn toyvns. In moving that events should Unplaced on future programmes for live-men teams. Superintendent R. I‘. jW?k»lin (Carterton’ said that ;>ie ■competitions had been slipping sir.ee it he yva i. Before the war- there yvere ’ I li'O teams at demons!rations, yvhere1 as to-day the number yvas only ha:i l that. Eyery effort should be made ( J to restore (he competitions to their ; ! pre-war strength. The remit was 1 >< ; uty -Supei intendent . IH. H. Collings (Taihapei. i • Super in’.* ndcnt A. a. Bennett t.Ncl- ■ son’ said that riilhcully was now cx- . | penanced in getting four -men teams iayvay. He did not tnink that it. would ■ I oe advantagcous. at present to al; x the four-men teams to five. The inclusion of five-men teams in the pres- . lent programme had been considered. ■ i The remit yvas lost. . I SPe, <■!;,>> T. R. Ford l..at .'more entries might be received it .4 instantaneous coupling events were -'placed on the programme again. Al ‘least one such event should be placed ion next year's programme. . I The secretary, Captain T. J. Watts, ; Isai i that young men of to-day were . i not as keen on competition wor k as • The Hayvera brigade sought to have : the word ’ disqualification' in the fist - lof penalties replaced yvith a suitable i , penalty. Secretary H. L. Warner - suggested that the matter should be reviewed by the executive. It. did not J look yvell tor a small brigade Io ieIturn home with a list of disqualitlca- • I lions. There yvere a number of I (cases yy here ther e should be disqualiIfication. Fireman S. J. O'Regan sec- , I onded the remit on behalf of lhe J Eketahuna brigade. I Superintendent C. S. Knight (GeralJdine’ said that th? (fisqualifications 'were the cause of lhe falling off in I ent l ies. I Super intend'nt Wakelin (Cartei'■ton» said that in sporting parlance .'[the yvord disqualification savoured ol ’ {unsportsmanship. Captain Watts said that the first duty of the association was to prot'ct the competitors. Most of lhe ' disqualifications yvere on the safety- ' first principle. It was decided that the executive should bring dov.n a revised list of penalties when the Hawera remit ana ■ a remit from Pahiatua, also dealing ’{with disqualifications, will be conI side red. The folloyving remit from Carterton yvas carried:—“That the 50 feet mark •in four-men hose event and standpipe event be shortened to allow for 1 Jhe sweep of thp tyyo leads from the • standpipe. ” • j The conference will resume this , {morning.