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Nelson Evening Mail FRIDAY, OCTOBER 13, 1922 PEOPLE AND THE FIRE BRIGADE

WHEN a poison’,'? house or his business premises catches fire, one of the first tilings done is to call the Fire Brigade. But, what is the Fire. Brigade? In Nelson it is a band of citizens who are prepared to render public service of an arduous nature. Wiry should these men do flic work at all? They gel nothing for their services and there is no reason why they should render them. By these services they not only succeed in saving thousands of pounds' worth of other people’s property from actual destruction, but they also save every householder money in connection with his insurance premium, which must, in the aggregate, amount to big sums annually. It is true the people, through the City Council, provide the water and the appliances for fire fighting. But the time Ims arrived when something more than this is needed. As a matter of equity the people should pay the Brigade for all services rendered. But it is a fine thing when a body of men is prepared to serve the public in some activity apart from their actual living, without thought of reward. The Brigade itself does not seek such remuneration, and while pointing out the obligations the people are under to the Brigade, we would be sorry to do anything that would tend to lessen this fine example of (rue citizenship. But there is a matter.which requires the immediate attention of tlie public. It is mentioned by Captain Dee in .a. letter to the editor in another column. Here is the case of a man who lias been prevent-, cd from earning bis living for some time past by injury sustained when rendering, this public service. The least the public can, and must, do, is to make good the financial loss he and his family have sustained. This incident renders clear the imperative duty of the public to provide some definite means for dealing adequately and fairly with all such cases. The City Council is the right body to attend to the matter, and doubtless it will be fully dealt with at io-night’s meeting. If the Council is this year unable to make the necessary provision, then individual members of the public must respond. There will he no difficulty in securing the money. Any member meeting with an accident while in the performance of this public service is at least entitled ns a matter of justice to full compensation whether his incapacity is fqr one month or a lifetime. The acci-j dent in question emphasises the need for the City Council to go into the whole; question and provide some means so that| tlie people may discharge an obligation, all are under to the members of the Fire Brigade. , !

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Permanent link to this item

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NEM19221013.2.20

Bibliographic details

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LVI, 13 October 1922, Page 4

Word Count
468

Nelson Evening Mail FRIDAY, OCTOBER 13, 1922 PEOPLE AND THE FIRE BRIGADE Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LVI, 13 October 1922, Page 4

Nelson Evening Mail FRIDAY, OCTOBER 13, 1922 PEOPLE AND THE FIRE BRIGADE Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LVI, 13 October 1922, Page 4