Fire Brigades Don't Want Commissioner Control

Chronicle (Levin), 17 February 1949, Page 3

Fire Brigades Don't Want Commissioner Control

NEW PLYMOUTH, Feb. 16. Opposition tov the appoiixtment* of tliree paid. "commissioiiers to control the Dominion 's fire service, proposed by the Itoyal Cominissioii -of lnquiry into Ballantyne's " fire, was expressed in a inotion passed at the conference of the Unitecl Fire Brigades' Association of Nevv Zealand, at Hawera todav. The association approved of the continuation of the existing system of loeai . control but pvitli a ceiitral body . co- . ordinating training, efiieiency and general administration. The conference approved of recomuiendations for 'the adoption of ovlaws coverihg the elimiuatiou of inherens j fire hazurds in existing buildings, made I by the Iioyal Commission of, Inquirv. into Ballantyne's fire. If this section of the report was ' adopted, said the Bominion Inspector i of Fire Brigades, Mr. R. Girling j Buteher, most of the seriou-s fire hazards j in buildings would .be eliminated. Next year's annual conference will be held at Reefton. It will be^ held j at Christchurch in 1951, the city's centehnial year. The followiiig officers were elected to the executive: President, Superinteudnt | (;. Coxall (Reefton); vice-presidents, Superinteudent A. Stcwart, of Tau- i ranga (senior), Superintendent N. C. i Buick, of Palmerston North (junior) ; j seeretary, Captain T. J. Watts, of New- j market; treasurer, Seeretary C. A. Osborne, of Onehunga; auditor, Mr. 1). 6. Smith, of Auckland.