Fire Brigades Oppose The Appointments For Control Of Fire Service

Wanganui Chronicle, 17 February 1949, Page 5

Fire Brigades Oppose The Appointments For Control Of Fire Service

N. PLYMOUTH, Last Night (P.A.) —Opposition to the appointment of three paid commissioners to control the Dominion's Fire Service, proposed by the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Ballantyne’s fire, was expressed in a motion passed at the conference of the United Fire Brigades' Association of New Zealand at Hawera today. The association approved of the continuation of the existing system of local control but with the central body co-ordinating training, efficiency and general administration. The conference approved of the recommendations tor adoption of bylaws covering elimination of inherent fire hazards in existing buildings, made by the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Ballantyne’s fire. It this section of the report was adopted, said the Dominion Inspector of Fire Brigades, Mr. R. Girling Butcher, then most of the serious fire hazards in buildings would be eliminated. Next year’s annual conference will be held at Reefton. It will be held at Christchurch in 1951, the city's centennial year. The following officers were elected to the executive: President, Superintendent C. Coxal, Reef ton; vice-presi-dents, Superintendent A. Stewart, Tauranga, (senior), Superintendent N. G. Buick, Palmerston North (junior); secretary, Captain T. J. Watts, Newmarket; treasurer-secretary, C. A. Osborne, Onehunga; auditor, D. F. Smith, Auckland.