MUNICIPAL CONFERENCE

Greymouth Evening Star, 3 November 1944, Page 3

MUNICIPAL CONFERENCE

FIRE SERVICE CONTROL WELLINGTON, November 2. By 63 votes to 57, delegates to the annual conference of the Municipal Association to-day approved of the administration of the fire protection service in existing fire districts beinghanded back to municipal authorities except in metropolitan areas. Mr. T. Jordan, the president (Masterton), introduced the subject by reviewing the agreement reached in 1939 for the reversion of control to municipal authorities, and moved that the conference reaffirm the agreement. Opposition to the change from fire board control came chiefly from smaller boroughs. Mr. F. S. Grayling (New Plymouth) referred to the recent statement by the Minister of Internal Affairs (Mr. Parry) in an address to the United Fire Brigades’ Conference that the Government had no intention of abolishing fire boards. Mr. Grayling also quoted statements from the annual report of Mr. Girling Butcher, inspector of fire brigades, on the standard of service under the direction of fire boards. . , Among the main arguments in favour of reversion to local body control was that it would be'a step towards a reduction in the number of boards. Mr. Jordan drew the attention ol delegates to the Minister's statement in 1939 that it had been generally recognised by the Government that the administration of the fire protection services of the Dominion had not been as satisfactory as might be desired. A delegate: The Minister has changed his opinion since.

“The Tittle courtesies of life formerly paid to my sex by the opposite one - are mostly ignored to-day, laments a lady in writing to a Sydney paper. “Look at our trains and trams. Men travelling by them will not hesitate to smoke in the presence ol ladies, although they know perfectly well that many of the latter, even now, find tobacco smoke offensive. 1 call it most selfish and ill-man-nered.” This fair correspondent seems quite oblivious to the fact that special cars are reserved in Australia as in New Zealand lot the use ol non-smokers. Yet ladies still persist in rushing the smoking compartments so that smokers are often crowded out. Happily, so far as New Zealand is concerned, complaints about tobacco smoke are far less common than formerly because most New Zealanders now smoke “toasted, and its pure, sweet fragrance disarms criticism. All six of the toasted blends, Cut Plug No. 10 (Bullshead), Cavendish, Navy Cut No. 3 (Bulldog), Riverhead Gold, Pocket Edition and Desert Gold, are (being toasted) almost innocent of nicotine and consequently virtually harmless. —243.