30th November 1923 - Fire Protection

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To the Editor, Buntingford Gazette

Fire Protection

Sir,

The outbreak of fire at Hare Street, an account of which appeared in your last issue, has aroused interest on the question of fire protection in Buntingford and district.

Before the war, the Buntingford Fire Brigade were an efficient and well-equipped body. The Brigade, however, was a voluntary one, and any renewels and repairs were, I understand, borne by the Brigade itself.

Today, voluntary service is a different matter, in which the cost of accoutrements, &c., and the loss of renumerative time play a large part. It is also doubtful whether at any during the day, horses could be obtained to draw the engine to the scene of a fire out of Buntingford itself.

Fortunately, in Buntingford, a good supply of water is available from the town mains, but a body of men is necessary to deal with any outbreak of fire, and to know the exact position of any of the various fire hydrants.

It is argued that the Ware or Hertford engines could be summoned, but should a fire break out in the town considerable damage might be caused before any outlying brigade arrived.

It is thought that steps should be taken to ensure that, in the event of a fire in Buntingford or district, the outbreak could be dealt with at once. Perhaps this important matter will come before the Buntingford and District Improvement Society.

Yours faithfully,

Tradesman, High Street, Buntingford.

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Transcriber note - There isn't a copy of the report of the Hare Street fire referred to at the beginning of this article.

25th June 1926 - Correspondence

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Correspondence

To the Editor, Buntingford Gazette.

Conan Doyle, Spiritism and the New Church

Dear Sir,

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, in his recently published History of Spiritualism, says that he cherishes a hope that the New Church will yet join heartily in the Spiritist movement, and he makes the naive suggestion that it should contribute its churchs and organisation to the "common cause." 

He has thrown out hints of this kind before, but may I be allowed, as President of the General Conference of the New Church, to say through your columns that they have always been emphatically set aside. 

As receivers of the teachings of Swedenborg, we honour his warning about the danger of communication with discarnate spirits. We are utterly opposed to all mediumistic practices. We have no "common cause" with spiritists. Our organisation was not founded by Swedenborg; it exists to promote the Kingdom of God among men by means of the teaching contained in the great seer's writing, which teachings we deem to be a good gift from the Lord for the enlightenment and inspiration of men.

Faithfully yours,

Charles A. Hall.

21st May 1926 - Correspondence

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Correspondence

To the Editor, Buntingford Gazette.

Sir,

I would like to add to the list of those mentioned by G. Scarborough Taylor in his letter of last week the splendid fellows who manned the lorries (of my firm and other firms) up and down the country and collected the goods from London warehouses, docks and wharves, under most trying conditions and at considerable risk of injury.

It was the courageous efforts of these men which saved us all from what might have been a very unpleasant experience.

Thanks to them there was no shortage of any essential food supplies, and, speaking for myself and the business I manage, supplies from Hitchen headquarters came along with amazing regularity, although, of course, one only lived from day to day, not knowing what the morrow might bring forth.

I beg to remain, Sir,

Your obedient servant,

S. Daniels

High Street, Buntingford, May 20th, 1926.

14th May 1926 - Correspondence

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Correspondence

We have received the following letter from Mr G. Scarborough Taylor, who has been acting as Transport Officer to the Buntingford district on behalf of the Ministry of Transport Committee for Hertfordshire:

To the Editor, Buntingford Gazette.

Dear Sir,

I trust you will permit me to thank the following for their very ready and willing assistance they gave in help me carry out duties in connection with haulage of food supplies during the recent strike:

Mr Bayman, of Forrest Stores, who obtained food supplies from Bishops Stortford on behalf of the district, and for seeing the various grocers so as to ensure no shortage;

Messrs F.W. Butler, S.G. Lees, B. Kennedy and H. Feasey, for their time and use of motor cycles and bicycles in going round the district;

Mr Frank Fraser and Mrs Scarborough Taylor for their clerical assistance and tabulating records of food supplies;

and last, but certainly not least, to Mr B.E. Thody for the almost continual and numerous ways he has readily assisted.

Yours faithfully,

G. Scarborough Taylor

Buntingford, May 13th, 1926.