FIRE FIGHTERS CONFER

Taranaki Daily News, 6 March 1934, Page 7

FIRE FIGHTERS CONFER

GATHERING AT HAMILTON. ATTITUDE OF THE GOVERNMENT. By Telegraph—Press Association. Hamilton, March 5. With a representative gathering of over 100 firemen and delegates from all parts of the Dominion, the 55th annual conference of the United Fire Brigades’ Association of New Zealand was opened to-day. Matters relative to fire-fighting in the Dominion will be discussed at the conference, which will continue until Thursday. The annual report states: “While the association fully appreciates the efforts of the Minister of Internal Affairs with respect to the grant of £5OO towards travelling expenses, it is not very satisfactory to the association to find its many years of service to all Government departments in respect of fire protection not receiving the recognition due. Notwithstanding practicaly a unanimous recommendation from Parliament that our efforts should receive practical recognition from Cabinet, our request was turned down. There is something radically wrong with the attitude of the Government towards the association since 1931, and obviously the great work done by the association is either not being presented to the Government correctly or else is misrepresented, and it behoves the conference to take measures to remedy the situation.” Officers for the United Fire Brigades’ Association Accident Assurance Society were elected as follows: President, Superintendent A. J. Bennett (Nelson); vice-presidents, Foreman H. W. James (Whangarei), Secretary D. J. Ferguson (Gisborne), Treasurer-Secretary C. A. Osborne (Onehunga) and Secretary T. J. Watts (Newmarket).