Shortage of Fire Fighters

Manawatu Times, Volume 66, Issue 100, 29 April 1941, Page 9

Shortage of Fire Fighters

POSITION IN PALMERSTON ! NORTH Concern at tho shortage of men for 5 fire-fighting in Palmerston North, was | expressed at yesterday’s meeting of the = Fire Board. The superintendent, Mr. = r. A. Milverton, reported that two mem- 5 bora of the station staff wore either in = camp or overseas while five more had = been drawn in the overseas ballot with § three of the five already passed as fit | Up to the present all permanent men = find been replaced With tfie exception of £ one- lu regard to the station auxiliary, I tho-position was more difficult for only | two would be left out of eight. Stops | had been taken to procure men from | grade II for lire service iu lieu of ter- | ritorial training. = The chairman, Mr. A. L. Mansford, | thought representations should be made 5 to the Director of National Services to | see if men turned down for overseas r service could bo posted to the fire ser- | vices. The Board had advertised for | moil and otherwise done its Dost. No | appeals had been lodged in respect of E men iu tho overseas ballots. The secretary, Mr. C. V. Day, said E there had been no difficulty in filling 5 tho permanent positions but it Was with s I the auxiliary that trouble had been ex- | perienced. There had been 30 eu- j rolments out of the 50 required tor the S emergency fire service, which was very - fortunate. The L.F.S. was probably B supposed to tako the place of tho auxi- E liary staff but the trouble was tho s L.F.S. lived at their homes whereas = the auxiliary lived at the station. = Steps are to be taken to inform the 5 Director of National Services of the | position.