FIRE CONTROVERSY

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 58, Issue 192, 27 May 1938, Page 5

FIRE CONTROVERSY

ALLEGATION BY BOARD MEMBER g THE CHAIRMAN’S STATEMENT. DIFFERENT FROM ONE APPROVED. (Per Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, This Day. An allegation was made to-day by the Hon. J. K. Archer, M.L.C., that tlie statement issued by the chairman of the Christchurch Fire Board (Mr T. M. Charters) after the fire lost Monday was entirely different from one which members of tlie Board had agreed be should make, and did not have their approval. Mr Archer, who is a member of tlie Board, left for Wellington after the meeting at which the fire was discussed and returned to Christchurch to-day.

“Of course, the meeting, held on Monday evening, bad been arranged before the fire occurred,” said Mr Archer, but naturally tlie fire was discussed. So far as members of the staff are concerned, the chairman and other members of the Board asserted that they had heard remarks in the city that the firemen had not done a good job. Every member expressed disapproval of those remarks and agreed that they had done as good a job as could possibly be done under the circumstances, and that the reason why the fire had such a disastrous result was some method of construction of the building. The decision was that Mr Charters should make a statement, not only exonerating the men from blame, but also expressing the Board’s appreciation of their excellent work.

“For some inexplicable reason, and certainly to my own consternation, Mr Charters came out with a screed quite definitely suggesting that the full quota of men was not available because of the operation of tlie award. Mr Charters ought to have known that the award makes no such stipulation, and there is not a fireman in our employ who would not leap into action if liis services were required in cases of emergency. MiCharters’ action looks like a bit of Torified political propaganda.”