FIRE BRIGADESMEN STRIKE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 218, 8 September 1908, Page 2

FIRE BRIGADESMEN STRIKE.

AUTHORITIES NOT' PERTURBED. Ily Te.egraph.— l'ress Association. Wellington, Last Aigut. Efforts by tlie auxiliary lirenicn attached to mo Wellington l''ire Brigade to secure better terms of remuneration naving failed, a strike 01 twelve out of liie seventeen on the roll has taken place. The auxiliary nremen are only called upon to serve in cases of serious fires, aad the terms upon which they were engaged were £ls per annum retaining fee, and 2s per hour for all time worked at genuine tires. ihey are supplied with uniform, 'helmet, coat aad trousers, but no boots, 'l'iicy receive ao payment for false alarm turns- ■ out, nor for chimney tires, and this rule forms one of the causes of their dissatisfaction. Recently they petitioned for €2O per year salary per man with annual increments of £l. This was not entertained by the controlling authorities, but au offer of £7 10s per year was made, plus an allowance of fis per hour for the first hour at each fire and 2s per hour thereafter, false alarms and chimney fires to carry 710 remuneration. There is further dissatisfaction 'because a donation of £SO made to the brigade by tlie Premier was given at the rate of £1 per man to the permanent members, and only 10s per man to the auxiliaries. The twelve men on strike aw. understood to regard the latest offer of the lire brigade authorities as less beneficial than the original scale of pay. Tt is leported tliat the authorities are in no way perturbed and profess themselves able to fill the vawmcies twice over on tlie original terms.