CHARLESTON FIRE BRIGADE

Westport Times, Volume IV, Issue 743, 29 November 1870, Page 3

CHARLESTON FIRE BRIGADE

(To ihe Editor 6f the Westtfort Times and - Charleston, ArguSi), ~ Sib, —In this day's issue of the " Charleston Herald " the conduct of a few members of the Eire-Brigade is so much animadverted upon and misrepresented that the public here and in Westport -are likely to entertain a misconception of the matter. In order to obviate such an impression, a plain statement of the affair may be laid before them. Some of tbe who subscribed to the fund for the institution, above referred to, were 1 solicitous to know how it was , to be disbursed, consequently they called a meeting to ascertain from the captain how he had or meant to arrange it. Previous to this meeting a committee had been appointed..to perform, with the captain, the business duties of the Brigade, but he, finding that it did not act to his satisfaction, dissolved it and undertook the duties himself. Tenders were called for the sinking of tanks, &c. and, instead of being returned or accepted by him as they should havo been, the work was given to parties who had not tendered, and at a much

higher figure than it would have been executed by the parties who had tendered. "Well, then, because this and other anomalies were questioned by the members referred to, he enacts another small piece of inelo-dramatic performance and dismisses a member for—merely being desirous that the money be expended economically— not because he was captious or refractory, as the public mav infer from the remarl s in the "Charleston Herald. At the time the. contracts were settled a meeting was held in an hostelry contiguous to the Camp when he, the captain, absolutely and in his own person decided the matter with the contractors. This was the simple misdemeanor of which the expelled member was guilty, but I have no doubt the said member would prefer being expelled to having been guilty of any conni.yance with the undue expenditure of'public moneys.—l am, yours, obediently, A CIIARLESTONIAK. Charleston, Nov. 26.

An intimation from Mr T. L. Shepherd once of Hokitika, Greymouth and Westport, of his intention to become a candidate for representative honors in Otago, draws the following comments from the Dunedin " Star " -. 'Mr T. L. Shepherd aims at being one of Otago's members, and to this end has been figuring as a speech-maker at Wakatipu and Arrowtown. Nobody who knows Mr Shepherd can mistake bis qualifications for the place. If self-confidence be a requisite for senatorial honors, he is not deficient in it; if ' gift of gab ' be necessary, he excels, lie may not be the best of logicians—that is a thinpr to be acquired by some; he may not be clear in thought nor sound in judgment—very excellent qualifications, but not much in his line as a politician ; but as for 'jawbation,' * he's a clipper and no mistake !' No matter what the subject—whether the forging of a horseshoe nail, the construction of a railroad, or a journey to the moon—Mr T. L. Shepherd can talk about it. It must bo on account of this gift, in -which it must be confessed he might be backed to beat the most activetongued old woman, that he is pronounced 'a fit and proper person to represent the district in the General Assembly.' A fit and proper person ! Save the mark ! If he be returned, what will the Colony think of us ?"