The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 1929.

Hokitika Guardian, 23 February 1929, Page 4

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 1929.

ON SERVICE BENT. I HKJtn are few institutions in any centre of population which renders more important public service than a fire

brigade. As a rule the people who are served so well in these matters accept the service in the main as a matter •ol course. In the large civic centres lire services are not voluntary, but it is so in the smaller centres, yet in either

case there is not any lack of spirit and

earnestness in the services rendered. A all hut requires to he made, and the men spring to action, and enter upon their more or less unpleasant duties with the determination to win. The value of their work is often gauged b\ the fire lighting appliances nr their sendees. A good water supp'.v is os sential of course, and following that

facilities to reach the scene of outbreak

and cope with it on effective lines. The matter of equipment 1* a matter for the ratepayers under the lead and guide of the municipality or fire board, hut it is obviously the duty to provide

and equip the lire fighters with all the appliances necessary to deal promptly and effectively with outbreaks. These

thoughts arc suggested by the fact that in the coming week the town will be

honoured by a visit of the United Fire Brigades Association of New Zealand* the delegates representing the organisation will sit in conference in the earlier part of the week, and at' the latter part of the week the teams will be in competition in various tests try-

ing out their capabilities as regards

speed in handling the plant effectively —speed being the essence of contract

when (ire-fighting. The firemen are arriving in goodly numbers to-day, and

it is fitting to bid them welcome and wish them a pleasant stay. It is not the lirst occasion Hokitika has boon so honored, hut it is a mark of appreciation to find a town of this si'/e pairor-i-sed by so large a gathering. 'ihe

town on former occasmis of -i like nalure, ro.se splendidly to tin; necessities. inn! it is a fact, we believe, that our visitors carried away very happy

recollections, and there has been the desire to return here again. That accomplished, the citizens must lx- at pains to welcome the visitors, and make their stay as congenial us possible. So far as the business side of the visit is concerned, we hope the deliberations at tlie Conl ore m e will be for the benefit of the useful service the firemen represent. The community value of a well equipped brigade is a matter of public concern. It is an insurance against grave disaster. The work of a brigade is entirely preventative, and experience has shown their worth in that respect. There is one serious aspect of the Dominion experience at present which is worth some attention at a conference such as that of next week. That is the- frequency of fires in New Zealand of late. The lire loss and waste of late have been enormous, and many of the fires have occurred without adequate cause being available. Just as there is an enquiry necessary where life is lost suddenly, so there should he some form of close investigation into the cause, and seek to apply a preventative remedy. 'Flic conference in its deliberations as to the manifold causes of the numerous fires of late, might well seek to probe trie position in order to check their frequency. As regards the general services of the firemen some form of public recognition should be laid down. It is very fine to see. th volunteer spirit permeating so many of tlies,organisations, and it should be recognised in some way. One method would lie to see good equipment at the disposal of the men so that the fullest advantage could be made of their services when emergency arises. The men at the Competitions next week will be displaying their smart ability in the various tasks which will be sot them. In the friendly competition we wish them a happy time, and we feel that this section will not lie the least useful of the occasion of their gathering. For the rest, wo hope their stay here will bo along pleasant lines. There will bo opportunities to relax to the lighter side of life, and wo hope the programme pro-

vided will lie for their full enjoyment. AYo are sure the townspeople wish the Association a pleasant, and in fact a memorable annual gathering, and trust flic visit to Hokitika will be one of very pleasant memory all round.

The perils and pitfalls of industrial turmoil arc; in no way lessened by the extreme speech of those who profess to lead Labour in Australia. If those gentry had fuller play for their leadership it is not too much to say Labour as a worthy organisation would soon crash over the abyss Garden and others would lead them to in a complete catastrophe. Dealing with the present situation as revealed by the late cable news, the Christchurch Press offers some strong criticism of the license in wild speech which the class of leader referred to favours. The facts of the trouble in the timber trade arc very simple. Jn May of last year the Union asked for a M-liour week, and Judge fjUKin, after hearing argument, dismissed the application. The Union, guided by Mr Garden and others, and the workers in the timber trades were urged to go slow. The application for a reduced working week was referred to the Full Court, which upheld Judge Lukin’s judgment for a 48-hour week. Vs the workers, guided by their leaders, refused t:> obey the award, the tun players were obliged to make application to the Court for a declaration that a strike existed. The Union authorities were given every opportunity to attend the Court—an adjournment being granted when they first failed to appear—but as they did v choose to appear, the employers’ application was granted. And now the strike has spread very widely, the men are defying the law, and the bandits who lead them are openly declaring that the law may go to Hell. The strikers are not lighting against low wages or bad conditions. 'The conditions of labour and the wages arc both very good. The pretext for the war is the claim that a week of 45" hours is much more oppressive than a week of 14 hours, ami this pretext is absurd, nie fact is that organised La hop- in V astral in has resolved upon a policy of militancy. Jf it .cannot find one ox. '•use for striking, it will find another. Any excuse will do. If the' conditions in the Commonwealth made it desirable or in some degree excusable that organised Labour should fight, this strike could not he straighway condemned. But it is not a strike against oppressive conditions. It is not a strike against industrial conditions at all. It is a rebellion against the law; and not merely a rebellion against law in general or against laws made “in the capitalists’ interests.” It is a rebellion against a law fought for and obtained by tlie Labour organisations themselves:. Nor is it a rebellion of passive resistance, although it would he had enough if workers were passively to resist a law contrived by themselves for tlieir own benefit. These lawless and faithless men—it does not excuse them that they are the tools of coldly lawless and calculating faithless leaders—aim at achieving their ends hv violence and intimidation. There have been in ahi such strikes in Australia, and New Zealand lias had some experience of them. T lie fact that the Dominion has ror some time been free from them has probably led many people to suppose that Labour lawlessness is extinct. It is not. Here, as in Australia, there are men who await only the opportunity to carry on the tradition of Labour militancy and lawlessness.