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be kept on a tray in the station. This will be placed on a car or truck during the absence of the appliance, and, at the discretion of the Superintendent, a duty crew will stand by at the station during the absence from the district of the regular appliance. (3) Where the brigade has neither a Government trailer pump nor a pumping appliance, effective service cannot be given and the out-district arrangement will not apply. 80. It is proposed that the charges made for turnout of a crew under this scheme should be sufficient to cover all out-of-pocket expenses of the brigade-controlling authority. It is considered that, having regard to the proposed increase in Government subsidy and the extension of the subsidies to local authorities controlling brigades, as well as Fire Boards, the charge made for out-district service should not include any brigade overhead. It will in most cases be necessary to call the whole brigade by general alarm, and for this reason the following scale of charges is proposed :— (i) Turnout charges, £3 ; all non-permanent brigadesmen turning out to be paid 3s. ; the men going outside the district to be paid under clause (ii) below ; any balance left from the £3 to be available for contingencies. (ii) All men turning out on the appliance outside the district to be paid at the rate of 3s. per hour or such higher rate as is regularly paid by the brigade ; payment is to cover both travelling and working time. (iii) In cases where the only or major brigade appliance attends an out-district call or where, owing to circumstances existing, the strength of the brigade remaining in the district is unduly reduced, the Superintendent may, at his discretion, order a crew of four men to stand by at the station during the period of attendance at the out-district call. In such case the costs of this stand-by at the rate regularly paid by the brigade shall be part of the out-district call charges. (iv) Mileage allowance on appliance, Is. 6d. per mile counting both ways, plus standing charge where towing vehicle is hired. (v) Pumping costs, ss. per quarter-hour for each pumping appliance. (vi) Actual cost of recommissioning of brigade equipment used, including men's uniforms and clothes, change of oil for the pump, and replacement or repair of equipment damaged or destroyed. 81. Contracts for Out-district Service. —At the present time many Fire Boards have made contracts under section 19 of the Fire Brigades Amendment Act, 1932, providing for the protection of reticulated areas contiguous to the fire district, or of individual public or commercial buildings or other private property situated outside the district. It is not proposed to alter this provision where the service which can be given is comparable with that available within the district. The " retainer " charges for protection of contiguous urban areas has been based in general on the proportionate rateable capital value of the two areas. It is proposed to provide that such areas may, where satisfactory arrangements cannot be made by agreement, and subject to proper safeguards, be compulsorily brought into the fire district. Where the conditions involved in the protection of either small urban areas or industrial buildings or other private property in rural districts cannot, either by reason of distance or absence of satisfactory water-supply, be given protection comparable with that provided in the fire district, the general scheme should apply. Where, however, industrial property of very considerable value, such, for instance, as a large freezing-works, is concerned, some regular supervision of the fire-protection arrangements by the brigade officers is desirable. The proposals would permit the continuance of contracts providing for a retainer to cover this supervision and a small allowance for general overhead, plus turnout charges at the standard rates set out in paragraph 80. 82. Miscellaneous. —The submissions to the parliamentary Committee also propose that provision should be made by the Central Council for standardization of equipment (couplings, &e.) and to a reasonable extent of training, for payment of subsidy to the United Fire Brigades' Association, for extension of the subsidy proposals to brigades in county areas, for extension of the existing provisions regarding Coronial inquiries, and the provision of superannuation for the permanent staff of the service—the latter having special regard to the fact that the nature of the work makes early retirement necessary in most cases. FIRE BOARDS Five new Fire Boards (Upper Hutt, Lower Hutt, Patea, Stratford, and Carterton) have been formed during the war period. In addition, a united fire district has been formed consisting of the Wellington City and Johnsonville Town District. The total number of Boards in operation at the date of this report is sixty. Attached to this report (see First Schedule) is a table showing the general statistics normally published both in respect of the years 1944-45 and the average figures for the fiveyear period. NATIONAL FIRE LOSS The fire losses in New Zealand during the period under review, calculated on the usual basis of the insured loss plus a percentage addition for losses uninsured, were : calendar year 1940, £722,506 ; 1941, £803,959; 1942, £544,173; 1943, £479,700 (the last available). The losses in fire districts were: 1940-41, £242,689 ; 1941-42, £466,589 ; 1942-43, £309,128 ; 1943-44, £334,600 ; 1944-45, £548,354. INSPECTION It has not been possible to make regular inspections under the Fire Brigades Act during the war period. Inspections have, however, been made where necessary in connection with loan proposals and where investigation of special conditions was necessary. Mr. N. G. Buick, who had been for some years inspecting officer of the Wellington Fire Brigade, was appointed on Ist November, 1943, as "Inspection and Liaison Officer under the emergency organization on the recommendation of the National Fire Council. He made a complete inspection of both Fire Board and municipal brigades during 1944to report on the liaison between the regular fire service and the Civil defence organization. He was appointed Deputy Inspector of Fire Brigades at the same time, the intention being that he should take over the position on the retirement of the present Inspector. He retired from the service on Bth January, 1945, to take up the position of Superintendent at Palmerston North, and no further appointment has been made. I have, &c., R. GiPvLTNG-Butcher, Inspector of Fire Brigades.

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