“FAIR COMPROMISE.”

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18532, 17 October 1923, Page 7

“FAIR COMPROMISE.”

FIREMEN'S. TELEPHONES.

'THE- TROUBLE ; AT. 'WAIHI

ALARMS TO BE SUBSTITUTED.

A protracted meeting of the Waihi Fire Board was held in, Auckland yesterday, when' consideration was: given to the trouble which, has arisen at Waihi, following upon (lie disconnection (of the telephones to firemen's houses. Because of this disconnection Vtho firemen had given notice of resignation, to take effect' to-morrow. The .chair was. occupied by Mr. W. M. Walluutt, Mayor of Waihi, and .chairman of the board. Others present were: Messrs. C. E.Palmer, W. G. Bell, and W. Skegg, representing the insurance companies; Messrs. S. H. Walmsley and ,E. Morgan, /representing the Borough ,of Waihi; and Mr. B. Philpot, the Government nominee on. the board. Mr. J. J. Ritchie, town clerk of Waihi, and secretary to the "board, was present. Mr. Palmer moved that, the electric j fire alarm system bo done - away with. If that motion were carried, he said, the board would be in a position to con side? the starting of a; new system'. for the town. . > * • ■ Mr Skegg seconded the motion, which was carried. _ ' . "- ' t • It was also agreed, on the motion of Mi-. Philpot, seconded, by Mr. Skegg, that, in lieu of the existing system, the electric fire alarms be .confined to six press buttons, plated in positions in \ the town recommended by the superintendent, .and that the station, - superintendent, deputy-superintendent, and chauffeur should have free ; telephones; further, that electric fire alarms, to bo rung from the fire station, be installed in the firemen's houses, instead of. telephones. Mr. Skegg asked the chairman to see the firemen personally and convey to them the decisions that had been arrived at. It was, he said, only fair to the men that they should have early intimation of what had taken place. X It. was decided to'telegraph the result of the meeting to the firemen, and that a meeting of'the men should bo called for to-morrow evening. * Mr. Palmer said lie would like the brigade to know that the board had done the best, it could to help the men out of their troubles.

The chairman said that their idea in coming to Auckland had been to settle the dispute at the earliest possible moment. He would endeavour, at the meeting on Thursday, to get the men to. adopt the resolutions that had . been passed. ;:. It ■was a fair compromise, and he thought the men would accept it. j'/'*