THE HISTORY OF THE MATATA VOLUNTEER FIRE BRIGADE
When deciding to celebrate the Brigades 40th year it was suggested a resume of the past
should be compiled.
The following is an abbreviated account extracted from the Brigades history compiled in
1987 “BEFORE THE BEGINNING” and “THE FIRST 25 YEARS”
29.04.63
The New Zealand Fire Service Council confirmed that
Matata was officially gazetted as a Secondary Urban Fire District and their
authority would be The Whakatane County Council.
The official strength of the brigade membership would be a maximum of
14 including a Chief Fire Officer, Deputy Chief Fire Officer, Third
Officer, Sub Officer and Secretary.
08.05.63
8 p.m. Inaugural Meeting - Mr Cyril Paltridge presiding
over 28 persons outlined the purpose of the meeting to find 14 members to
serve in the Matata Volunteer Fire Brigade and called for nominations.
Chief Fire Officer Fred Villis of the Rangitaiki Plains Dairy Co. Volunteer
Fire Brigade suggested that why not enrol all persons present who are
willing into the brigade and that they be placed on a three month
probationary period and during that time they will sort themselves out. If
more than 14 remain they, the members will decide who will remain on
the roll.
This procedure was adopted and seventeen indicated they wished to
become firemen, from those 17, the Officers and secretary were elected.
Ray Gurran
Laurie Raureti Third Officer
Noel Jarmen Secretary
Officer
Bill Paterson Sub
Tom Dobson Chief Fire Officer
Tui Hunt
Cyril Paltridge Deputy Chief Fire Officer
Bill Foote
Joe Kepa
Harold Mexted
Mick Longstaff
Bob Gardiner
Charlie Devon
Jack Paterson
Ken Wolstenholme
Lennie Rondon
Harry Semmens
Extracted from Chief Fire Officer Dobson’s address to the meeting:
After seven years of battling with the Whakatane County Council we are
now a Fire Brigade, it is up to us to prove ourselves. Also we are probably
the only brigade in New Zealand without a damn thing to fight a fire with,
so there is a lot to be done.
We have a ¼ acre section in Heale Street costing £103 ($206) purchased
in 1961 and close to £900 ($1,800) in hand.
Meeting closed at 10.15 p.m.
Fred Villis’s prediction was “Spot On”
After three months only 8 remained, 4 resigned, 5 dismissed for nonattendance, those eight became The Foundation Members
Tom Dobson Chief Fire Officer
Fire
Laurie Raureti Third Officer
Noel Jarmen Secretary
Bill Foote
All Chiefs and Bugger-all Indians
Cyril Paltridge Deputy Chief
Officer
Bill Paterson Sub Officer
Charlie Devon
Mick Longstaff
It wasn’t many, but most were willing and there were many loyal supporters.
Only two had previous fire service experience and as many as possible
travelled to Edgecumbe to train with the Rangitaiki Plains Diary Co.
Volunteer Fire Brigade (now The Edgecumbe Volunteer Fire Brigade)
most training nights, until they had their own appliance and equipment.
The first 25 years had began, which wasn’t an easy row to hoe for many
years, but at least for those who continued to be involved could see
something for their efforts.
The real spadework commenced before the beginning on the 02.10.56. At
a recently formed Matata Rate Payers association meeting it was
suggested by Mrs Janie Huriwaka some sort of fire protection should be
established. Various members of the Matata Rate Payers Association
approached the local authority (Whakatane County Council) councillors
and staff. The most enthusiastic Mick Longstaff and Tom Dobson (both
having served in the Fire Service prior to moving to Matata) but to no
avail, not one wanting anything to do with a Fire Service. Possibly
because the council did not have one within its County Area and stated
“didn’t want one”.
The Borough Council controlled the Whakatane Volunteer Fire Brigade;
the Board Mills was industrial as were both The Dairy Factory and
Fletcher brigades in Edgecumbe.
Early the following year Chief Fire Officer Villis became involved and
was most valued for his advice, encouragement and “hang in there man”
attitude.
06.12.58
A young child perished in a house fire within the township
and it cannot be denied this tragic event definitely increased the public
support for a fire service, but still it didn’t move the Whakatane County
Council from their negative stance.
They were the flies in the ointment, for it was usually the Local
Authorities who approached the Government body the New Zealand Fire
Service Council to set up Urban Fire Districts, before a Fire Brigade
would be approved, certainly not a group of small town rate payers.
The largest fly was the Whakatane County Council clerk Mr E.L. Briggs,
who actually ran the Council at this time with a very firm hand, his
arrogant, don’t want to know you attitude and to come later, his delaying
tactics, when pushed, were hard to understand.
07.04.59
Matata Rate Payers Association appointed a “Fire
Committee” from three of its members, Mr C. Paltridge, T.H. and T.W.
Dobson to act on their behalf in negotiating the ways and means of setting
up a Fire Service. Also to try and convince Mr Briggs to inform The Fire
Service Commission of their request.
20.05.59
The Fire Committee reported to the Matata Rate Payers
Association that they could not make any headway with The Whakatane
County Council, or their clerk and would have to play a lone hand.
At this time T.W. Dobson contacted a gentleman he had met numerous
times while serving in the Raetihi Volunteer Fire Brigade and at the Fire
Service training School, Chief Fire Officer Nat Buick of Palmerston
North, who had recently been appointed a member of the Fire Service
Council. He would be most pleased to advise and assist the Fire
Committee as much as possible and would visit Matata early the following
month (June).
Meanwhile a week later at a public meeting where members of the Matata
Rate Payers Association informed those present that no assistance from
the Whakatane County Council could be expected. And every penny
required would have to be raised by the Town and District; quite a number
of people did not confirm their support. The Matata Rate Payers
Association was disappointed; it looked as if they had lost another round.
The following week Chief Fire Officer Nat Buick arrived and after
introductions, stated that he has already had a look around and spoke to
Mr Briggs
The formation of the Fire Brigade was discussed, the main point - he
agreed, the committee were on the right road and said “I might be able to
help a little by sorting out this wee chappy in Whakatane, who is drawing
good pay for doing something he does not know much about”.
That deep broad Scottish voice was a joy to listen to, spirits were lifted the
ball was in another court and the Fire Committee could now concentrate
on increasing support and raising finance.
20.07.59
First money raised for Fire Brigade Fund £16-9-6 ($32.95)
by a “Pick the Score”, on rugby games during the British Isle Tour.
Membership of the Fire Committee increased to five with the addition of
Bert Kenny and Mick Longstaff.
The Fire Service Council was to find that wee chappy was not so easy to
sort out.
The Fire Service Council had forced the Whakatane County Council to
negotiate and many pages of hundreds of words have been written to
record most of the correspondence that passed between these two councils.
The Fire Committee could only wait and hope, but continued to hound the
hell out of the Whakatane County Council and staff, began raising finance
and searching out a plot of land suitable for a fire station.
It must be mentioned here that a Fire Service was not the only project on
the Matata Rate Payers Association’s agenda, in fact it was only a small
part of what they had set out to achieve.
Matata, (Richmond) when originally surveyed into approximately 360
mainly ¼ acre sections, all suitable for building on, of these less than half
were occupied and the township had been neglected for years by the Local
Authority.
The Matata Rate Payers Association was formed in 1954. The object to
gain knowledge from the Whakatane County Council of the amount of
finance collected from rates and possibly to have some say in how it
should be spent on improvements to mainly, the water supply, stormwater
drainage and street formation to name a few.
This was the first encounter with the County Clerk and only a little of the
information requested was forth coming.
No accountability of rates collected within the township (this was sorted
out much later by forming a separate works rating area, only to find out
that less than 60% of rates charged were collected).
No finance would be available for improvement and they knew nothing
about the water supply (they already knew it wasn’t sufficient for fire
fighting). But what they did not know was revealed a few days later by Mr
Bob Stirling the Whakatane County Council Health Inspector, that the
New Zealand Health Department’s test of the water supply was always
well below what they considered a standard fit for human consumption.
The ratepayers were shocked and dismayed, but stubborn determination
prevailed and it was to take many years before they achieved all their
targets and many more.
It was decided something had to be done about the Whakatane County
Council, they knew they couldn’t remove their clerk. The next best bet
was the Matata Riding Member Councillor Mr Fred Reichardt, who had
no interest in the township, what so ever, and had clearly shown by his
attitude and negative statements that his removal would eliminate one
stumbling block.
In 1962 they nominated Mr G.R.M. Whitham and campaigned
successfully on his behalf, knowing Mr Whitman would represent them
whom could listen and give them a fair deal.
July 1962 the Fire Service Council were informed by the Matata Rate
Payers Association that their Fire Committee had raised £1,000 ($2,000)
leaving a cash balance of £778 ($1,556) after buying a section and paying
the legal fees.
They also stated that as their repeated request to the Whakatane County
Council were being ignored; surely there must be some way that you the
Fire Service Council can force the issue.
28.09.62
The New Zealand Chief Fire Service Officer Mr
Drummond informed the Matata Rate Payers association that, he himself
was taking direct action and had been in touch with Mr Briggs on several
occasions which would bring about a result to their satisfaction.
What actually transpired between these two was not recorded.
03.01.63
The Whakatane County Council informed the Matata Rate
Payers Association “The council had resolved that the Matata Fire District
could be formed if at a meeting of rate payers they agreed that the
protected area would extended for a radius of five miles from the Post
Office. And this same area would be charged a special rate of point 004
pence in the pound, which would amount to approximately £150 ($300)
per year, with the Fire Service Council grant of £100 ($200) would total
£250 ($500) per year”.
This special meeting was held on 04.02.63 and those present agreed with
the Whakatane County Council resolution and to the special rate being
charged.
05.02.63
follows:
A telegram was sent to the Fire Service Committee as
Whakatane County Council request that Matata be constituted as a
Secondary Fire District in accordance with section 18 Fire Service Act
1949. Letter will confirm. Signed E.L. Briggs.
This was a great moment for all concerned, but they were to wonder for a
very long time what pressure was brought to bear on the Whakatane
County Council and their clerk to gain their application for the formation
of a Fire District. The headman of the Fire Service Council had achieved
in a matter of months what they had been trying to do for six or seven
years.
The ending of “Before the Beginning” was celebrated at Thelma and Mick
Longstaff’s guess who was not invited.