FIREMEN NEEDED

New Zealand Herald, Volume 82, Issue 25160, 24 March 1945, Page 9

FIREMEN NEEDED

AUCKLAND BRIGADES SEVENTY-SIX APPEALS Cases of 76 permanent, volunteer fiT id auxiliary firemen from Auckland c jty and suburban brigades held on appeal were reviewed by the No. 1 Arnjed Forces Appeal Board yesterday afternoon. Apart from members of volunteer brigades in outlying districts, 57 of the reservists were employed by the Auckland Metropolitan Fire Board. 28 belonging to the permanent staff. Tn the case of several part-time firemen. appeals were also lodged by their employers. At the request of the board, the functions of the auxiliary fire service were explained -by the deputy-superin-tendent of the Metropolitan Brigade. jj r G. A. MacKenzie. He said there ■R-ere nine auxiliary stations in Auckland, which were required to be manned by an officer and six auxiliary firemen. At least 50 per cent of the B taff had to be on duty from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. As they were required to gleep and live at the station for at least one week in five, it was essentially a job for single men. Because single men were not available to fill vacancies on the permanent auxiliary staff, 74 volunteer auxiliaries vrere enrolled from the Emergency Fire Service when that organisation was disbanded. In 1939 there were 59 permanent auxiliaries, but today there were only 14. There was none at the Central Station, which previously hacL ten. "We cannot find auxiliary firemen anywhere at the present time, although we are' continually trying to encourage men to join the service," stated Mr MacKenzie. A number had been lost to the forces and some who had returned from overseas were now married and had no wish to rejoin the service. It had always been the policy of the board to have auxiliary firemen on duty at night when the fire risk was greatest and this'was done at considerable cost. The Chairman. Mr C. A. Sneddon: What would happen if you lost half these men? Witness: If they could be forced to be on duty every two weeks instead of five we might be able to carry on with the remaining staff. Mr MacKenzie said that if suitable replacement could be found the board would be prepared to withdraw some of the appeals, on condition that it was giren reasonable time to train the recruits. Most of the appeals were adjourned sine die. PROSPECTIVE SETTLERS EIGHTH ARMY BRITONS INTEREST IN NEW ZEALAND (0.C.) WELLINGTON, Friday Leaving New Zealand five years ago as quartermaster to the 19th (Wellington) Battalion in the first echelon, Lieutenant-Colonel J. E. F. \ogel, 0.8. E. (Lower Hutt), has returned to the Dominion, after being assistant adjutant and quartermaster-general to the First British Armoured Division, Eighth Army. He was seconded to the Imperial forces with the permission of the New Zealand authorities. The First British Armoured Division was with the New Zealand Division in its left-hook on to the Mareth Line. Colonel Yogel said he had received a large number of inquiries from British soldiers who wanted to settle in New Zealand, so many, in fact, that he had written to Mr Nash informing him. The younger men seemed very keen to get to New Zealand. Ho thought their interest was partly due to the excellent name of the New Zealand Division, with whom many of the British soldiers had contact, to the fact that many of them had lost their homes and families in the United Kingdom, and also, in part to the popular belief that the other fellow's country always looked the best. [f it was at all practical to do so. Colonel Vogel hoped New Zealand would get as many of these men as possible. before it was too late; once they took up .the threads of life again in their own land it would be. Some of these British inquirers were skilled men. but many others were not. the war probably having prevented them from completing, or even beginning, apprenticeships in trades. The modern mechanised army, however, gave many soldiers excellent trades training. The standing of the New Zealand Division was absolutely first class, but th> British soldier was the most unadvertised fellow in the war. They rewarded leadership with great loyalty, and were at all times grand soldiers, especially in adversity INFECTIOUS DISEASES CASES IN THE WAIKATO (0.C.) HAMILTON. Friday Although nine cases of diphtheria and 13 of scarlet fever have been reported to the office of the Department of Health, Hamilton, this month, the district medical officer of health, Dr J. F. Dawson, stated that this could not be regarded as an epidemic, as the reports had come from scattered parts of the district. However, the diseases were sufficiently in evidence to warn parprits to take precautions. In the case of diphtheria, Dr Dawson saidi that parents should seek medical attention if children showed any signs of hpinrr "nff colour." or complained of a sore throat. Efforts would be made h\ the department to ensure that every child should have the opportunity of protection. The scarlet fever was of such a mild form that parents often thought it unnecessary to seek medical advice. The disease usually started with the child being "off colour." with a sore throat, headache, and sometimes vomiting. He advised parents to seek medical attention if they were at all in doubt. Children showing any signs of illness should not be sent to school until medical advice had been obtained. BANKRUPTCY CASE A petition for the adjudication as a bankrupt of Noel Maxwell, trading as the Crown Novelty Company, Auck- ' land, was brought by the. Col lector of j Customs (Mr G. S. R. Meredith) be- j fore Mr Justice Callan yesterdav. The! acting-Collector of Customs, Gordon Mcßeath, gave evidence that no payment had been made on an amount of sales tax outstanding. The petition was granted. i WAIKATO SHOW OFFICERS | (0.C.) HAMILTON. Friday As the only nomination received by i the Waikato Agricultural and Pastoral \ Association for the office of president j *as that of the present: office-holder, ! Mr H. J. Finlayson, of Tuliikaramea. he will be declared re-elected president the annual meeting. Mr C, Bailev,! °f Huntly. will lie declared elected i senior vice-president., and Mr W. T. j Luxton junior vice-president, their Nominations being the only ones re- I ceived. An election will be necessary f° r the general committee of .'lO. as 32 dominations have been received.