ONEHUNGA FIRE BRIGADE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19940, 8 May 1928, Page 12

ONEHUNGA FIRE BRIGADE.

COUNCILLOR'S STATEMENTS. A QUESTION OF EFFICIENCY. A letter from the Onehunga Fire Board referring to statements made by Mr. F. S. Morton was received at the meeting of the Borough Council last evening. The board asked Mr. Morton to say whether the remarks published were correctly reported, and, if so, to advise it whether his criticism was directed against the personnel or equipment of the brigade; if the criticism was directed against the personnel of the brigade, the reason for such; if against the equipment of tho brigade, in what way did he consider it insufficient or inefficient; concerning tho remarks that on one occasion two boys endeavoured to extinguish a fire before the arrival of adult members of the brigade, whether tho boys were members of the brigade, or were in possession of the motor-tender, and also tho date, time and locality of the fire referred to.

On a motion by the Mayor, Mr. W. C Coldicutt, that the letter bo received, Mr. Morton moved an amendment that he should be granted a right to reply through the council. This was • defeated on the casting-vote of tho Mayor. Subsequently Mr. Morton moved that the council snould recommend the Fire Board to improve the efficiency of the brigade by augmenting its permanent staff by one permanent man. lie did not question the efficiency of the individual members of the brigade, but wished to strengthen their capacity to deal with alarms promptly. At night the alarms were often in charge of a youth, showing that the staff was not sufficient. He drew attention to these points because the cost to the council was £836 a year, whereas the ratepayers, when they were asked to sanction the formation of a fire hoard, were assured the cost would not exceed £6OO.

Mr. W. C. Hill supported the motion, and showed how the cost had continually increased since 1922.

The Mayor said he had seen the brigade records, aijd the lowest number of men on the engine attending a fire was three.

Mr. Morton said there were ratepayers then in the council chamber who were prepared to swear the engine had gone out. with only one man on it. Mr Speight said that for the three years before the Fire Board was appointed the average cost of the brigade was £BO4 a year. The motion was carried by seven to three.