WAIMATE FIRE BRIGADE

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume XXIV, 23 January 1929, Page 6

WAIMATE FIRE BRIGADE

ANNUAL MEETING. The .■fttmiml meeting of the Waiinrnte Volunteer '.F re Brigade was held hist 'Friday, .Captain Wilhitts presiding ovi r an of 12 firemen .and several honor;: "y members. The annuai report state.! that the income for tl.e year had been £25 14s 9d (£2O Borough subsidy. £2 2s donation and £3 7s ;6S honorary members fees., and the expenditure had been £3O 3s 4d, leaving a deficiency of £4 7, - ivhicih 'had used up the small balance left over from the Demonstration,. It would be necessary to apply to the Borough Council for an increase in the subsidy or to pay the eost of heatins for the social room. There had been’ six alarms of fire during the year. One had been a false alarm for men lost on the hills, one for a motor lorry fire, one for a rubbish lire, one for a house in Maude Street, one for a shop in High Street, and one for a washhouse in Harris Street. The house in Maude Street had been too far gone when the Brigade arrived for anything to be saved, but the Brigade had prevented the fire

spreading elsewhere. The loss .on house and furniture had been .about | £750. A good save had been made '.at the .fire in the Auction Mart shop, .although the damage by fire and water had been heavy, about £l3OO. 'The .membership’ roll was the same as last year with the exception that Linut. Gram:er had just resigned. The practices id been well attended assid inteue-st in tiie work of the BrigaAe had been lintained. Fireman CoJlett, .as skipper of the B Team, had been successful m leading them to wietory by 19 game-, in the card j tofflsnament. The ’billiards tourney ' was won by Capt. Willetts after a ! very close finish, beating Fireman 1 Riaeh by two points. The highest j break had been made by Lieut Grang- ! er, while of the handicap men, FireI man Riaeh had made the highest V break. Captain Willetts had represented the Brigade at the Canterbury Provincial Fire Brigade's Association conference at Sumner, r.nd Secretary Nash had represented the Brigade at the United Fire Brigade’s Association Confernee at New Plymouth. Fireman Hardwick had competed at Sumner and Ashburton competitions and though not successful had put up quite a good run. With regret news had been received of the death

of .a very old ex-Fireman, Mr J. Pearce, of Wellington. Thanks were due to Foreman Dunstan for attention to the billiard cues .and to the station firemen for the excellent 'manner in which they had kept the motor and gear. On the motion of Capt. Willetts seconded by Fireman Riaeh, the report was .adopted. Lt v.as decided th;;', the officers of the Brigade wait on the Borough Council and ask for an increase in subsidy. A three'-years’ certificate -was preseuti’d to Fireman Riaeh, and 2-year service bars to Capt Willetts, Foreman Higgins, Lieut. Granger, Firemen Englelield, Thomson, Be'ten and Mines. Capt. AVilletts thanked the members of the Brigade for the loyal support they had given him during the year. The election of officers resulted: —Captain, 11. S. Willetts; Lieutenant, A. Higgins; senior foreman, W. Englelield; junior foreman. T. Dunstan (re-elected); secretary, r, Nash; delegate to conference, G. W. Collett. Hon. Member H. Barford, on behalf' of the honorary members thanked the Brigade for the many

pleasant evenings spent at the station.