RESIGNED.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 476, 7 April 1909, Page 8

RESIGNED.

NEWTOWN FIRE BRIGADE MATTER. THE SUPERINTENDENT EXPLAINS. At his meeting last night, Mr. F. G. Bol' ton, a candidate for the Mayoralty, in. advo« catiug that ihe''complaints of corporation officials sliould be dealt with by the City Council as a whole, instead of by a committee, instanoed a recent caso where the'fire briga deemen stationed at Nowtownhad resigned in a body. He stated that these men were in receipt of £12 10s. a year, and had made application that the sum be raised to £20 per annum. The matter was referred to the Fire Brigade' Committee, who in turn referred it to the superintendent, with the result thai their pay was reduced to £7 10s. a year. On this being made known, the men resigned in a body, and at present there' were only four men to attend to the- work of fire prevention in Newtown. He had not known thin until recently, but had made inquiries, and had ascertained from some, of tho lato members of the brigade that this was tho case. As a property-owner in Newtown, ho was thunderstruck. That: sort ..of' thing. was,,a, .matter that induced him'to advocate that employees' complaints'sho'nld bo considered by-tne council as a whole.' _ ". . ~-' ' ~, On the matter being referred to the superintendent (Mr. O'Brien), that official explained that Mr. Bolton was evidently referring to the old trouble with tho auxiliaries. These men formerly received £5 for the first year, and £15 a year subsequonibly, and were required to turn out to every alarm. When the application for more money was received, tho whole question of tho payment of auxiliary men was gone into, and ho lind advised that the payment bo £7 10s. a year, and that the men should only turn out when called upon to do 'so. Wit*., an increase in tho permanent staff, and tJw added effectiveness given the brigade by the possession of motors, he had deenied this course advisable, but it did not suit some of tho men, who had resigned some,months ago. There was no cause for alarm in Newtown. The auxiliaries had been replaced,' and the motor, fully manned, turned out.to. every alarm —from Newtown or any other part of tho city.