VOLUNTEER FIRE BRIGADES

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 228, 21 June 1920, Page 3

VOLUNTEER FIRE BRIGADES

ASK FOE MORE STATE AID. | A request was made to tlio Minister of Internal Affaire (Mr. G. J. Anderson) on Saturday by the Volunteer Firo Brigades' Association for an increased sub-' sidy towardß its funds, At present tho association receives an annual subsidy from the Government, the amount being and .£4OO in alternate years, the larger amount, in tho year of tihe biennial demonstrations. It was urged that with thie subsidy it would no ranger be possible to conduct the demonstrations, and that these sports were n, splendid stimulus to effort among the mwnberß of brigades as well (is ieing an oducative influence in oquippiug them as efficient fire-fighters. Great difficulty was experienced in getting the right type of man to join volunteer brigades. There were no rewardß, and the men were often sufferers by loss of clothes, and also by expenses in attending the annual conferences and demonstrations. .It was essential that some inducement should be held ,out to the right typo of men to j join the brigades. During the war it | nod not been possible for many reasons i to i hold, the biennial demonstrations, but' the prinoipal reason, had been tho absence of so many of their members on, 'active service. Of tho total membership i of 2GOO men, 1600 had gone to tho war. 'The subsidies had stood at the same figure since 1892, but-whereas at that i time there wore 83 brigades in the ocran- , try, "with! & totod jnembersuiip of IiOO. I there were now 140 with a roll of just udder 2300. The association had ■ recently approached tho insurance companies for assistance, but the. New Zealand managers would have'to represent the mate to their head : offices in Australia or elsewhere before anything could ba inown. Conferences of the.associivtion had been held in ovary year of the | war period, but it had oost ivery delegate jiot less than iiom pocket to attend. . ■ ' The Minister in his Teply said he. eppredated fully the servicce rendered gratia by volunteer .brigades to the ccmmunity. Jle cotuphm&ntSd thois sfiso on their £ne record of war service. - Ho •would lay Mote bis colleagues the le-1 quest for a subsidy; and tihe Government would haro to lay down a policy about ail ffieae snteitoea. Rwwsts ior eubsidies were being made for- all sorts of things, and while the amount'in individual cases'might be small, the .total amount that would be required to franfc all of them would bo very large, indeed. He would bring the matter .before his colleagues.at the firat opportunity, and hewouEd be able' then to give a decided answer.