FIRE SERVICES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26746, 15 April 1948, Page 2

FIRE SERVICES

INTRODUCTION OF BILL SOUGHT “A TURBULENT HISTORY ” ISSUES STILL OUTSTANDING Delegates to the annual conference of the Municipal Association of New Zealand were told yesterday, by the national president, Mr E. R. Neale, M.P., of Nelson, that the executive of the association would use all its influence to ensure that the introduction to Parliament of a Fire Services Bill was not long delayed, Mr Neale said that he hoped that such a Bill would be introduced during the session this year to give needed assistance to municipal bodies which were not now in Are board districts but desired some assistance in financing their fire-fight-ing services. Mr Neale told the conference that the proposals for the Bill, which had first been drafted by the Inspector of Fire Brigades, Mr R. Girling Butcher, had had a most turbulent history. The centralisation of the control of fire services in a proposed Fire Services Council and the protection of the position of so-called “ volunteer ” firemen were the principal storm centres of the discussions. , He added that in the middle of 1946 it was thought that unanimity was reached on the general terms of a draft Bill after a representative deputation from the fire underwriters, the New Zealand Fire Boards, the United Fire Brigades’ Association, and the Municipal Association had waited on the Minister of Internal Affairs, Mr Parry. With some minor qualifications, certain provisions were approved which should have enabled the drafting of a Bill for presentation to the House.

Difficulty Over Estimates

“ Later in 1946, however, it became plain that strong forces were at work in the New Zealand Fire Boards’ Association which desired to limit the control which it was proposed to vest in the Central Fire Council,” Mr Neale continued. “ These forces had sufficient influence to convince the Fire Boards’ Conference that the powers of the Central Council should not include the passing of the estimates of the brigade controlling authorities. It was proposed that these should be dealt with, as at present, by the Minister of Internal Affairs on the advice of his technical officers.” Mr Neale said that he saw sermus objections to this proposed limitation of the powers of the Central Council. The council comprised representatives appointed by the Government, the fire underwriters, the Fire Boards’ Association the Municipal Association, the Fire’ Brigades’ Union, and the United Fire Brigades’ Association. Of the 11 members, three would be appointed as local body representatives, and three as fire insurance representatives. The executive felt that if it had this representation on the council it would have enough confidence in the men appointed to leave with them the supervision of the estimates of brigade controlling authorities. . Mr Neale added that in any case it was proposed that when the Central Council was instituted the technical advisers of the Minister would become the advisers of the Central Council. The proposal put forward by the Fire Boards’ Association would, therefore, necessitate the retention in the Internal Affairs Department of enough technical advisers to the Minister to inform him fully and properly on the estimates which it was proposed to forward to him for approval. The president said that the executive had ‘strenuously opposed the proposal by the Fire Boards’ Association, and had communicated its views to the Minister of Internal Affairs, Mr Parry. He added that the executive had also proposed that the New Zealand Fire Boards’ Association should not make nominations to the Central Fire Council, but that three of the members should be appointed by both the fire underwriters and the Municipal Association. Second Stumbling-block “The second stumbling-block in the passage of the Fire Services Bill has been the relationship of volunteer firemen to the industrial movement in New Zealand,” Mr Neale continued. He explained that in different parts of New Zealand nearly all of the original volunteer fire brigades received some compensation for their duties, and it was therefore possible that most of the volunteer firemen in New Zealand could be classed as workers within the meaning of the. Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act, and would thus come within the provisions of the Act relating to compulsory unionism. “The United Fire Brigades’ Association is steadfastly opposed to its members being compelled to join an industrial union of firemen, altlmugh it is not opposed to those brigades joining the union if the majority of their members voted in favour of this course of action,” Mr Neale added. “They desire their position to be protected by statute, and not to be left to the terms .of any relevant awards, by agreement with the Firemen’s Union.” Mr Neale said that, on the other hand, the Fire Brigadesmen’s Union was opposed to the writing into statute law of any provision as proposed by the United Fire Brigades’ Association. The Fire Brigadesmen’s Union was, however, prepared to concede that it did not want in its membership firemen in brigades where no permanent firemen were employed. Mr Neale said in conclusion that since his report was prepared a draft agreement had been decided upon as the result of a conference between the New Zealand Federated Fire Brigades’ Employees Industrial Association of Workers, the United Fire Brigades’ Association, the Fire Boards’ Association and the Municipal Association. A draft definition of a part-time fireman was adopted. The draft, which was circulated to members, stated that the secretary of the New Zealand Federated Fire Brigade Employees’ Industrial Association should have the rgiht to request the Secretary of Labour to conduct a secret ballot of all members of brigades who are affiliated as a separate brigade to the United Fire Brigades' Association of New Zealand where one or more permanent men were employed, as to whether the majority were in favour of joining the union. The ballot was to be conducted within four weeks of this notification, and representatives of the New Zealand Federated Fire Brigades’ Industrial Association and the United Fire Brigades’ Association should have the opportunity to address members of the brigade before the ballot was actually taken.

The draft added that the ballot paper should ask whether members were in favour of non-permanent members being required to join the appropraite union. The ballot should be conducted by an officer of the Department of Labour at fire stations or other places agreed on, and the department should give notice of the result to the union, the United Fire Brigades’ Association, and the appropriate fire controlling authority. Another clause in the agreement defined a part-time fireman as one who received a cash remuneration exceeding £25, and who was not a full-time member of a brigade, although he might ordinarily reside at a station free of charge.