FIRE BRIGADE DISPUTE.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 4 September 1924, Page 4

FIRE BRIGADE DISPUTE.

SETTLED BY FIRE BOARD

A dispute ; concerning the dismissal from the Fire Brigade by the superintendent of two members was brought before the Hawera Fire Board for settlement yesterday, and after considerable time had been spent in fully investigating the position the board decided that on the facts hgfore him the superintendent had been justified in taking the action he had, but in view of fuller information now brought out one of the men. should be reinstated.

Mr Matthews, representing the brigade, proceeded to place the position, as represented to him, before theboard. In the first place the brigade wished him to express thanks to the board for granting them a hearing. The men felt that in certain matters that had occurred a root principle had been involved, and. the result had been that disruption had v threatened the ranks of the brigade. .The men were therefore anxious that the board should clear the matter up. The brigade. felt that in connection with the dismissal of Firemen Burgess and Champion there had been involved the root principle of who should have the right of dismissal. The two members in question were firemen of long standing, and. the men felt that such matters should not be left in the hands of the superintendent. it did not conform with British justice ' that the men’s career as brigadesmen should be in the hands of one individual, but of course there must be a certain amount of .-disciplinary power in the hands of the superintendent. The whole trouble seemed to have arisen through an absence of rules on the matter. In other brigades, such as New Plymouth, the rule was that a member should be suspended, but should be allowed to appeal to the board. The brigade would be quite willing to allow that course to be adopted, but- they considered it improper to allow any of their individual members to he placed in the hands of one man. They would like the point as to where the power of dismissal lay to be cleared up. There was no complaint as far as the superintendent (Mr Morrison) was concerned, -except that the men kmsiv of no valid reason for the two dismissals. They Contended that the superintendent had aright to suspend, but no right to dismiss; The men wanted their ultimate fate to rest with the board.

The chairman: That is the position at present, and that is why we are allowing the appeal this afternoon. Mr Matthews and the firemen with him then retired while the board considered the questions raised. On the deputation returning, Mr F. C. Spratt, for the Board, read a minute of the proceedings up to date, and oil some discussion arising thereon Mr I Matthews said he wished it made perfectly clear that what the men wanted was that the superintendent should only have power to suspend members, the final decision in each case resting with the Board subsequent upon the superintendent’s reporting in each ease. Mr Spratt then intimated that the Board’s decision was that the superintendent, in purporting to dismiss Messrs Burgess and Champion, had acted within liis powers. The-super-intendent had power to suspend or dismiss, but the men had the right to appeal to the Board against any such decision. That being ' so, the Board was now prepared to hear any appeal in the present instance, and if* there was any doubt m the minds of the men as ’to why Messrs Burgess and Champion were dismissed the \ superintendent would state his reasons.

It was.agreed that the appeal should be heard there and then, and after the superintendent had stated his reasons for dismissal, the nir/i concerned also made a statement. The evidence was lengthy and of a personal nature, and on being weighed by the Board two resolutions were passed: (1) That the superintendent’s dismissal of Burgess be upheld; (2) that the superintendent’s dismissal of Champion was ju&tiufied on the facts before him and that it had been brought about by Champion’s own actions, but, having heard Champion’s explanation and his state'ment that lie had no intention of disobeying, tlie Board now' decide that Champion be reinstated as a member of the brigade. ‘ ,