FIREMEN AT HALLS.

Auckland Star, Volume LIV, Issue 267, 8 November 1923, Page 5

FIREMEN AT HALLS.

A SUPERINTENDENT S POWERS s TAT.X OF A TEST CASE. (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) HAMILTON", this day. Instructions were issued by the superintendent of the fire brigade to [ the Hamilton Borough Council last \ night to maintain liremen on duty at ( both Hamilton and Frankfcon Hall on . all occasions when' buildings -were cpetL , to the public, except when used ex- , olus&vely for dances. Jn moving that t the letter be received, the Mayor said ! the matter came up before tlie council some time ago, and it "was referred to . the borough solicitor, Trho was very ( definite in his opinion that the , Council was mot liable in this matter* J Mr. McKinnon (member of tie Kre , Board), said the superintendent was [ the officer appointed by law to take b action in this matter, and it did not . rest with the board. Both the Crown , Law Officer at Wellington and the Inspector of Fire Brigades (Mr. Hugo), '. were-of ■ the opinion that the superin- | tendent could enforce his inatriiL-tioos on this point, and if Council refused * to obey lie would probably make a. t test case of it, not in a spirit of hostility, but with the object of finding 1 out exactly what his authority vran 5 Mr. Mason said the matter had a j wide application, and it would perhaps s be as well to make a tost case of it and find out exactly where they stood. The Mayor, (llr. Fow), also consid- [ ered the best thing , Tvas to allow tlio , case Ho be settled by the Court T<» layman it seemed absurd that tiio council should be forced to maintain ' r firemen on duty at a. meeting at which, \ perhaps 20 persons attended, wthile ac I dances, where there, were so many decorations, there appeared to he iuj necefssity for such an officer on duty. i It might bo according to law, but "it was certaanly not according to common ' sense. The matter °was referred to the Legal Bud Finance Committee.