VOLUNTEER FIRE BRIGADES.

Northern Advocate, 23 June 1920, Page 4

VOLUNTEER FIRE BRIGADES.

ASK FOR MORE STATE AID.

WELLINGTON, June 22.

A request was made to the Minister of Internal Affairs (Mr. G. J. Anderson) by the Volunteer Fire Brigades' Association for an increased subsidy towards its funds.

At present the association receives an annual subsidy from the Government, the amount being £300 and £400 in alternate years, the larger amount in the year of the biennial demonstrations. It was urged that with this subsidy it would no' longer .be possible to conduct the demonstrations, and that these sports were a splendid stimulus to effort among the members of brigades as well as being an educative influence in equipping them as efficient firefighters. Great difficulty was experienced in getting the :ight type of men to join volunteer brigades. There were no rewards, and the men were often sufferers by loss of clothes, and also by expenses in attending the annual conferences . and demonstrations. 'It was essential that some inducement should be held out to the right type of men to join., the Jmgades. During the year it had not been possible for many reasons to hold the biennial "aemonstra-

buttho principal reason had been the absence of so many of their members on active service, Of the total membership of V 2GOO men, 1600 had gone to the war. .The subsidies had stood at the same figure since 1892, but whereas at that 1 time there were ,83 brigades in the country, with a total membership of 1700, there wore now 140 brigades, with a roll of just under 2;500. The association had receAt'/ approached the insurance companies for assistance, but the New Zealand managers wWd have to represent the matter to their head offices in Australia and elsewhere before anything could bo known. Conferences of the association had been held in every year of the war period, but it had cost every delegate not kss than £2 from his own pocket-to attend.

The Minister in his reply said he appreciated fully the services rendered gratis by volunteer brigades to the community. He complimented laeid also on their fine war service. He would lay before his colleagues the request for a subsidy, and the Government would have to lay down a policy about all these subsidies. Requests for subsidies were being made for all sorts of things, and whilo the amount in individual cases might be small, -the total amount that would bo required to grant all of them would Le very large indeed. Ho would bring the matter before his colleagues <-.t the first opportunity, and he would be able then to give ;t decided answer.