VOLUNTEER FIREMEN OPPOSE UNION

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25307, 6 October 1947, Page 6

VOLUNTEER FIREMEN OPPOSE UNION

“MASS RESIGNATION MAY FOLLOW ”

(P.A.) NEW PLYMOUTH, October 5. The action of those who were endeavouring to constitute a union which volunteer firemen would be forced to join was denounced at celebrations held at Hawera last night to mark the anniversary of the Hawera Volunteer Fire Brigade, and attended by members of brigades throughout Taranaki. It was stated that all brigades in Taranaki were opposed to the move, and the opinion was expressed that if unionism was enforced, a mass resignation pf volunteer firemen in Taranaki might result. Mr B. C. Robbins, M.L.C., who was the first secretary of the Hawera Brigade, said that volunteer firemen definitely did not want unionism. If it was insisted that volunteers join the union, he felt sure that brigades throughout New Zealand would lose the services of all or nearly all their volunteer brigadesmen. It would be a loss that the community could ill afford to bear, German surrender,” Mr Winston Churchill was quoted as saying. “Delay was needed in orcier to move over the trans-Siberian railway large reinforcements and to convert the Russian Manchurian Army from a defensive into an offensive army. It was no mere accident that the surrender of Germany on May 8 was followed by Russia’s declaration on August 8, but an example of the fldel!ty and punctuality with which Stalin and his valiant armies have always kept their military engagements.” “It is interesting to comnare the two world powers, the U.S.S.R. and the U.S.A* from the point of view of preparing for war,” said the statement. “Arms expenditure equalled 18 per cent, of the U.S.S.R. budget and 33 per cent, of the U.S.A, budget. The U.S.S.R. demands the outlawing of the atom bomb and strict control over atomic energy. The U.S.A, insists on retaining the monopoly, and says she will make as many atom bombs as possible. The U.S.S.R. has no troops in foreign countries, except in former enemy territory and guarding the lines of communication between Russia and Auitria-Gennany. The U.S.A., apart from former enemy territorj', has troops in China. Canada, the GreenUnd an<j Turicey. J llB h ? s no foreign bases. Tne U.SA. has bases in the previously mentioned countries. North Africa, South America, Iceland, Arabia and the Pacific Islands.” The U.S.S.R. introduced again into the Assembly of the United Nations a demand for a general disarmament. The U.S.A, opnosed disarmament because of the Russian menace. The U.S.A, permitted hysterical and antiSoviet press campaigns. Mr Churchill was assisting in this type of campaign.