SHORTAGE IN EMERGENCY

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 121, 25 May 1938, Page 8

SHORTAGE IN EMERGENCY

■ FIREMEN AT CHRISTCHURCH NOT DUE TO AWARD CONDITIONS I | Per Press Association. I WELLINGTON. May 24. I “The assertion is absolutely ridicu- • lous,” said Mr L. Glover, secretary ot j’he Fire Brigadesmen’s Nationa. I Federation, replying to the statemem i that it was due to the provisions ot I the fire brigadesmen’s award tha*. i sufficient firemen were not available [ to cope with the fire at Christchurch. • “It is a strange fact.” said Mr I Glover, “that although there have • been tire brigadesmen’s awards in exj istence for many years providing for : holiday leave —during which time I many serious fires have occurred and i successfully dealt with—this is the • first occasion where failure to cope : with a fire has been attributed to the ! award provisions. The truth appear--to be that the fire brigade staffs are kept at a minimum and are not sufficient to cope with the ordinary dangers of tire and grossly insufficient, io cope witn any major emergency. Hao a disaster like the Napier earthquake and fire visited Christchurch, how could 50 men—the full staffhope to cope with the danger. “Every fire in New Zealand takes his job seriously and. notwithstanding the provisions of any award, holds himself in readiness at all times to meet emergencies. i have been in communication with Christchurch and the position is that lhe men on leave in the stations were not asked to fight the flames. The men thought this to be a ridiculous position and offered their services. Only a small number of those offering their services were accepted while ! others were told to stand by for I orders which never came. No doubt, : Mr Charters, when he made the statei nient. to the Press, was not aware ot these facts which, no doubt, will be i brought Io light during the subse- | c uent enquiry. In the meantime may II again repeat that, the fire fighters i of New Zealand arp ever ready and I willing, whether on leave or not, to I hasten to obey a summons when required. It is a gross libel on such a splendid body’ of men to assert that because of the provisions of an award they were not willing to act in an emergency’, when in fact they were l anxious to do so.” | I STATEMENT BY MACDUFF'S. [ Per Press Association.l WELLINGTON, May 24. The following statement has been received from the head office of Macduff’s: “Regarding the fire in our Christchurch premises in Upper Colombo Street and reports which have been made through leading newspapers concerning our loss. I am instructed to refute the statements as misleading and incorrect. Actually all the losses are adequately covered under their various headings and the total cover exceeds £58,000.” The statement also denies the report that the staff of the shop destroyed in Christchurch had been dismissed for six months.