FIRE FIGHTING

Evening Post, Volume CXXIX, Issue 113, 14 May 1940, Page 13

FIRE FIGHTING

CHANGE AT LOWER HUTT

The report of the deputy superintendent of th? Lower Hutt Fire Brigade to last night's meeting of the Lower Hutt Borough Council stated that in April 10 calls were answered. Of these six were to property fires, two were to rubbish fires, and two to false alarms. Drills were carried out during the month, the total time occupied being 2 hours 40 minutes. The report further stated that both the engines had been serviced regularly and were in good working order. The works committee reported having met the members of the volunteer section of the brigade in conference and discussed matters appertaining .to the welfare of the brigade, more particularly a suggestion by the committee that the auxiliary members should be paid a retau.ing, fee amounting to 2s 6d a week, for which they would be required to .attend the weekly drill. The scheme ale provides for the payment of firemen at the rate of 2s 6d an hour for attenu.'nce at fires, and at this conference t> ° principle was generally approved, and the meeting appointed three representatives of the brigade to confer further with the fire' prevention; committee to draw up the rules; etc., which would govern these payments. This meeting was held and the whole ma" finalised. The Volunteer members unanimously approved of the suggested arrangement. The council decided that the principle of payment be approved, operative from June 1./

Councillors praised the services of the firemen,' whose work it was expected would become even more efficient under the new scheme.