Firemen And Football

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30126, 9 May 1963, Page 17

Firemen And Football

The Rugby and soccer teams of the Christchurch Fire Brigade are having successful seasons—in friendly matches which, however, result in some injuries. The question of the sports activities arose from a report by the Chief Fire Officer (Mr L. R. Osmond) to a meeting of the Christchurch Metropolitan Fire Board last evening. He said that two firemen were on sick leave and a third had fractured a bone in a wrist and was off duty. He would return soon to light duties.

“We are having a very good season. Our Rugby team has beaten Lincoln College and the Air Force,” Mr Osmond said.

He said that the fireman injured had been playing soccer. He bad fallen backwards and broken a small bone in the wrist—a bone that was most difficult to mend.

“As it happens, this very player had previously suggested an insurance cover for men injured while playing sport,” said Mr Osmond.

Mr N. G. Pickering: He would not have been hurt if he had been playing Rugby! To questions, Mr Osmond said the fireman had been granted sick leave. He would be a month on sick leave, if necessary. It would be two months, in normal procedure, before a fireman on sick leave would be referred to the board as a “special case.”

Mr A. A. Adcock said that the case could be left as it was, as the fireman was on sick leave. He could well have been injured playing for a club team.

Mr Pickering: What if he bad been playing for Canterbury? The chairman (Mr W. R. Campbell): He would be a hero! Mr Olds: A tolerant view of these injuries is taken by Mr Osmond and the board, and the matter is best left as it is.