EXEMPTION OF VOLUNTEER FIRE BRIGADES FROM JURIES.

Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2258, 2 August 1870, Page 2

EXEMPTION OF VOLUNTEER FIRE BRIGADES FROM JURIES.

Ou the 21st nit., Mr Biisom asked the Government, Whether the Government intend introducing a Bill this segsipn for the purpose of exempting fire brigade volunteers throughout New Zealand from as crampon jurors ? The reason why )tie asked jhb question was because he ha<J had several interviews with the captain of the volunteer fire brigade in Dunedin, who had requested him to consult the Government on the subject, but he had thought it better to make his question general as regarded the whole Colony. They knew that members of fire brigades were often on {arduous duty all night, and were called upon frequently at unseasonable hours

—and he thought the House would admit that they were not in a fit state to perform the import uit functions of jurymen after having been hard at work at night. Mr Vogel said to answer the honorable member’s question was rather embarrassing, because the answer would, as it were, move in two directions. The Government was quite prepared to admit that fire* brigade volgnteers should be put upon the footing of ordinary volunteers, but then they were of the opinion that the practice of allowing so many exemptions was not working well. The answer would therefore be that, whilst they were prepared to see the fire brigade volunteers placed on the same footing as other volunteers, they were inclined to believe that it was not desirable that there should be any exemptions ; and on the other hand, he was quite free ,t« admit that the principal was a very clear and sound one, that it was not fair to force persons to give more than a certain amount of service to the state; and those who gave service in the shape of volunteering had very justly a right to say that their services should not be compelled for other public duties. He thought'the only way out of the difficulty was the adoption of a resolution already placed on the order paper by the honorable for Heathcote, to the effect that common jurors should be paid'; aud if that were carried, he thought exemptions should be done away with. The Government would support that course. Colonel HAultain suggested that there was nothing to prevent the fire brigade volunteers from placing themselves under the conditions of the Volunteer Act, which had been done in the City of Wellington. If they became recognised as volunteers belonging to the fire brigade, they were entitled to alt the privileges of other volunteers.