Fire Service Council twice criticised

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 32848, 23 February 1972, Page 18

Fire Service Council twice criticised

The New Zealand Fire Service Council was twice criticised at a meeting of the Christchurch Metropolitan Fire Board yesterday—once for not performing its duties, and once for shelving its responsibilities.

The Chief Fire Officer (Mr F. A. Hardy) reported to the board on additional staff required in the change-over from a 56-hour week to a 52hour week, under a new award. Mr Hardy said that 52 more men would be required, and that the new hours would come into force on April 1. He said that, with the board’s authority, he had advertised for’s2 extra firefighters. About 140 applicants had been given a preliminary interview; 40 had been fully interviewed, 10 of whom had been accepted and would begin next month. WAGES BILL RISES The board’s secretary (Mr G. Gilchrist) said that with the extra men required and promotions needed, the wages bill would rise from $681,222 last year to $908,828 this year—an increase of $226,896, or 33.3 per cent. He added: “That is not all of it.”

To questions, Mr Gilchrist said the Fire Service Council had not given authority to the

board for extra staff. He had been informed that the council would consider the board’s requests at its next meeting, in March. Mr D. R. Dowell: That is not right—we could be breaking the law under the Fire Services Act. Mr J. W. S. Stevens: I support Mr Dowell. The council knows that the new award and hours come into force on April 1. Mr Dowell: Surely the council has an executive, or could hold an emergency meeting to give statutory approval to these matters? During an hour’s discussion on the report by Mr Hardy concerning the new shift system and recommendations for training, Mr D. T. Stickings maintained that the proposed training system would involve union members working outside award hours. SCHOOL TO COLLEGE

“The Fire Service Council is just trying to shelve its responsibilities on to the fire

boards in the four main centres,” Mr Stickings said. “It has changed the name of the national fire training school from ‘school’ to ‘college.’ “That is all the council has done. It has never wanted a training school, really. I have attended it, and that is my firm impression.” Mr Dowell said that the board should know what the new training system was going to cost, and whether the council was going to foot it, or contribute towards the extra cost of training. The board, after a division, approved the recommendations by Mr Hardy on introducing the new system, with the proviso that the liaison committee meet the union representatives on Friday and report back to the board on any alterations it might consider necessary.

The board also gave its authority for Mr Hardy to meet chief fire officers from the other main centres to implement the new system, including training. This had been proposed by the Dunedin Fire Board.

It was also agreed that the chairmen of the four boards in the main centres might meet, although this had not been formally proposed.