FIRE BOARD MEMBERS IN BRISK EXCHANGE
Two Labour members of the Christchurch City Council and the Fire Board had a brisk exchange at last evening’s meeting of the Fire Board. They were the chairman (Mr N. R. Forbes) and Mr C. Baldwin. Mr. Forbes is also chairman of the traffic committee of the City Council, and Mr Baldwin chairman of the housing committee. “Unfortunately the report brought back by Mr Baldwin was not correct,” said Mr Forbes, referring to a report to last month’s meeting of the board that the firemen’s training school at Wellington was to be converted into a school for the training of police. “There will be no policemen training at the school.” The reports had put him in an invidious position, and he had had to apologise for them, said Mr Forbes. He had given an assurance to the Fire Services Council that he would. point out, in open meeting, that the training school was being built on Government land, and that no policeman would be trained at the school. Mr J. E. Jones: What about selling the property to the Government? Mr Forbes: It is Government land. “What about the sale of the buildings to the Government?” asked Mr Baldwin. “Has the Fire Services Council reported that should the fire school be a failure the buildings will
be taken over as a training school for police officers?” Mr Forbes: That was mentioned and they all took strong exception to it and said it was incorrect. We had to pour oil on the troubled waters and get out as good as we could. “Why?” asked Mr Baldwin. “Did you not have the courage?” “Because it was not correct, and, as chairman to the board, I had to apologise for the incorrect statement,” replied Mr Forbes. Mr Baldwin: In what way was it incorrect? Mr Forbes: Excuse me, Mr Baldwin. Mr Baldwin: You challenge me. I made the report and the board will challenge me, or not at all. Mr Forbes: I ask you to keep quiet for a minute. Mr Forbes was proceeding to make another statement when Mr Baldwin, seated next to him, made another remark. “I won’t take that from you,” said Mr Forbes to Mr Baldwin. “The chairman of the Fire Services Council said the statement was incorrect. Is that the position, Mr Campbell?” Mr W. R. Campbell: There is no other statement I can make. They refuted the statement made in the newspapers, and they were very disappointed with us for taking the attitude we did. They said the land was leased from the Government and the school was being established on it I personally challenged the chairman of the Fire Services Council that the property was to be used for other purposes, and he denied it at the meeting. “Mr Chairman, I ask you to give me permission to represent you at the next meeting of the Urban Fire Authorities’ Association,” said Mr Baldwin. The board then went into committee to hear “other information” from the Wellington meeting.
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Press, Volume XC, Issue 27401, 14 July 1954, Page 10
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507FIRE BOARD MEMBERS IN BRISK EXCHANGE Press, Volume XC, Issue 27401, 14 July 1954, Page 10
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