‘Victorian’ view of women

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33479, 9 March 1974, Page 14

‘Victorian’ view of women

Government attitudes to w omen in volunteer fire brigades suffered from an overdose of Victorianism, the council of the South Island Local Bodies Association decided yesterday.

The association, after debate at its full conference last year, had sought the support of the Minister of Internal Affairs (Mr May) in obtaining “official” recognition of women members of volunteer brigades in secondary urban fire districts. Mr May’s reply, received at yesterday’s quarterly meeting of the council, made no ruling on the matter, but clearly indicated that female involvement should be limited to administrative duties, and that fire-fighting was “riot on.” Mr May said he appreciated the'"association’s view, but there was considerable opposition to women members of brigades. “I would point out there is no legal barrier to this, but there is, I think, a valid objection,” he said. “Fire-fighting frequently involves heavy, strenuous work in distressing and often hazardous conditions. However, as you may be aware, for a number of years women in Britain have served in the Fire Service in an administrative capacity and this trend has now extended to and is being experienced in New Zealand,” he said. The council considered that this was of little help to rural townships where volunteer brigades could not be kept fully staffed without women. Mr G. C. Hayter (Greymouth) said that a case In point was the township of Brunner. “It is a small town of about 700 people and needs women in the brigade because the menfolk are away all day at work in Greymouth. It is the only way to keep the brigade manned during the day,” he said. He was concerned about difficulties which arose when the brigade tried to obtain insurance for these women because they were not "officially” recognised, he said. “This is an overdose of Victorianism,” said Mr S. J. Marshall (Nelson). “I can’t understand why anyone should object when the women are only supplementing, not supplanting the men volunteers. I know that I wouldn’t refuse to have their services if my house was : burning down and they arrived there before the men could.” The council decided that, because the main problem was one of insurance coverage and recompense tn the event of accident, the ques-

tion would be held in abeyance until the full details of the Accident Compensation Bill were known.