VOLUNTEER FIREMEN

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26589, 11 October 1947, Page 8

VOLUNTEER FIREMEN

ATTEMPTS TO FORCE INTO UNION GOVERNMENT PROTECTION > Parliamentary Reporter WELLINGTON, Oct. 10. An assurance that the position of volunteer firemen would be protected in respect to an endeavour being made to get them into a union was given by the Minister of Internal Affairs, Mr Parry, during the consideration of the Estimates in the House of Representatives to-day. He said he had opposed this all along, and made his attitude clear to the parties concerned. The Minister of Finance, Mr Nash, expressed similar views. An amendment by Mr E. B. Corbett (Oppn., Egmont) that the internal affairs vote be reduced by £lO was withdrawn after assurances had been given. Mr Corbett said a ridiculous stage had been reached when attempts were made by industrial _** bouncers to force volunteer firemen into a union. There were some people who would like the whole country handed into the unions and then consolidated into one big union so that it could dictate to any democratic Government. He moved that the vote be reduced by £lO as an indication that the volunteer fireman should not be required to join the Firemen’s Union and also that their ballot decision to this effect should be accepted and acted upon by the Government.. ~ A . , Mr Nash said he would vote against the reduction of the internal affairs vote on any occasion and particularly the present one, but he agreed with a lot the member for Egmont said about volunteer firemen and compulsory unionism. He questioned if there was any justification for compelling volunteer firemen to join unions. Many or them were already in unions He would guarantee to support that tney should not be required to join the Fire Brigade Union.