FIREMEN'S PAY.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1223, 4 September 1911, Page 6

FIREMEN'S PAY.

4 VARIOUS SYSTEMS COMPARED. INTERESTING INFORMATION. A strike of city firemen is a serious matter. For a quarter of an hour on .Wednesday Aucklaud was not in a position to command that "cold cascade" which is tlio enemy to fire. The trouble was one of -wages, but all tho Press Association message states is that £2 15s. Gel. per week are tlio top wages asked by permanent fire brigadesmen. Somo inquiries wero wad© by a Dominion reporter last week as to how Wellington firemen faro with respect to wages. A probationer in Wellington gels .£IOO n year, to begin with, which works out at XI 18s. sd. a week. After three months lie is given pay at tin? raJe of .£IOB per year (or .£2 Is. sd. a week); after six months, .£lll a year (or £2 3s. 9d. per week); and after twelve months, .£l2O a year (or .£2 Cs. Id. per week). The senior firemen get -£125 per year, and three inotormen £2 7s. Cd. a wool;. In Wellington the firemen are given free residence, uniforms, and boots, and tlio married firemen liying r at tho station get free light, but all have" to pay their own board. They also get annual leave on full pay. lii Auckland tho wago system is rather different, which makes tho comparison somewhat involved. Probationary firemen thcro get ,£2 2s. for tho first three months, -C 2 as. per!week for the second three months, Gs. per week after a year. Thereafter they get a shilling per week rise for every year of service. The motormen get £2 10s. per week for the first' three montlis. anl after that time get £2 lis. per week, with a shilling per week rise for every subsequent year of service. They also get 14 clear hours leave every eight days, but no annual leave. They get residence and uniform, but no boots or board. Dunedin pays its probationary firemen .£2 ss. per week, and after that period .£2 10s. per week. Tho chief motorman gels .£3 per wef.k and 10s. per week houec allowance, and the assistant motorman. .£2 10s. per week. In Chrislchuroh tlio newly-sworn brigadesman is paid ss. Gd. per day (or ,£IOO 7s. 6d. per aunum). . After the first year Gd. per day is added; another Gd. after two years, and a further 3d. after thrco years' service, which brings his wages ltp to .£12.1 3s. 9d. per year. Tlio motorman gets the same as a probationary fireman the first year (ss. Gd. per day). After tho first twelve months £127 lGs. per year, and after throe years .£132 7s. 3d. Engine-drivers (equal to our senior firemen) get Gs. 9d. per flay (or .£123 4s. 9d. per annum), and after two years' service .£132 7s. 3d. per annum. The motor superintendent receives Bs. 3d. per day (j£lso lis. 3d. a year), and after the first year .£159 lis. 9d. per year. This stems to indicate that Dunedin treats its firemen better than the other centres, but even though the money is a little more it does not say that the men are any better oft', as there are many contributing factors to be taken into consideration in arriving at a fair basis of comparison, but the men- in Wellington arc said lo b? reasonably treated. It has been suggested that each of tho four centres should adopt tlio same wage system, in order that members may not bo induced to change round when tempted by an extra few pounds a year in wages. A" fireman who has a long experience in a city is a great deal more valuable than a new man, owing to liis local knowledgo of mains and fireplugs.