INTERESTS OF THE FIREMEN

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23511, 27 May 1938, Page 10

INTERESTS OF THE FIREMEN

UNION SEEKS INQUIRY STATEMENT BY SECRETARY (Per United Press Association) CHRISTCHURCH, May 26. The Canterbury District Council of the New Zealand Federation of Labour has announced its intention of pressing in the interests of the firemen for a public inquiry into Monday morning’s fire and related questions. This was announced in a further statement made by the council’s chairman (Mr ,J. Roberts). The six men who were at the station, but whose leave did not expire until 8 a.m., reported for duty at 6.45 a.m. at the Central Fire Station on the morning of Macduffs fire, and although told there was an outbreak in the city were not given orders to proceed to the fire, said the secretary of the Fire Brigade Union (Mr W. H. Mathison) on behalf of the men, in reply to the statement by Mr T. M. Charters, chairman of the Fire Board. The reply added that the six bridgesmen mentioned —an officer and five men—were on the station premises when the call was received at 2,47 a.m., but as no emergency alarm was given they did not report until 6.45 a.m. Mr Mathison said that at no time had the staff exceeded 50 in number. At the present time the total strength of the staff was 47. Three men had left the service, and had not so far been replaced. Mr Charters had made the following statement:—“But for the provisions of the present award for firemen probably about half a dozen extra men could have been called out.” Mr Charters had also stated that extra men would have been of considerable assistance if they had been available. To-day Mr Charters said that in actual fact the number on duty was sufficient, which was a direct contradiction of his previous statement.

“As a general practice, when a big fire occurs, an emergency alarm is given after the general alarm to summon all the remaining firemen to report for duty, as was the case with the recent fire at Weston 8r05.,” added Mr Mathison. “ Why. then, was not the emergency alarm given before 6.45 a.m.? At 6.45 a.m. it is the usual practice to sound three short rings on the general alarm to notify the men to parade for duty, but on the morning of the fire at McDuff’s six rings on the alarm were given, this being unusual. All the men on the station reported at the watchroom for duty. They included one officer and five men whose leave did not expire until 8 a.m. The men were told there was an outbreak in the city, but no orders had been given for the men to proceed to the fir 6. The officer and the five men were on the station premises when the call was received at 2.47 a.m., but, as no emergency alarm was given, the men did not report until 6.45 a.m. When the general alarm for Weston Brothers’ fire was given no day-leave men on the station answered, but an emergency alarm was given about one hour later, and all the day-leave men on the station responded to the alarm.

“As Mr Charters states,” Mr Mathison said, “ there were sufficient men at the fire. Why \vere three policemen pressed into service to help to operate the extension ladder between 5 a.m. and 6 a.m., and a sergeant of police directing the hose from Colombo street on to the State theatre building? ”