WAGE STANDARDS AFFECT RECRUITING FOR FIRE BRIGADES

Greymouth Evening Star, 8 October 1948, Page 5

WAGE STANDARDS AFFECT RECRUITING FOR FIRE BRIGADES

(P.A.) WELLINGTON, This Day. Concern at what he considered the falling standard in many of the. men offering as recruits for fire brigade Work was expressed by Mr L. Glover advocate for the rural fire brigade workers, in the course of the .discussion of the new award in Conciliation Council today. There were, he said, large discrepancies between the wages for ordinary, unskilled labour and those paid to firemen, resulting he claimed, in a shortage of suitable recruits.

Mr Glover added that many good officers and men were leaving the service, regarding it as a dead end. In many cases, he said, mere boys were being enlisted as first class firemen. This state of affairs would continue unless improved conditions were offered. This was the basis of his union’s claims for an all-round increase of 15s weekly in wages. For the fire boards,.Mr W. J. Mountjoy said a probationer .fireman had many other advantages in addition to hi's wages, such as a room, free lighting and heating and clothing. He offered an all-round increase on the present rates of 5s weekly. This offer, after consideration, was refused by the union's assessors. The council was adjourned sine die. A sub-committee of the interested parties will discuss the matter in the meantime.