FIRE BRIGADES' ACT.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 8403, 18 April 1907, Page 5

FIRE BRIGADES' ACT.

ADDRESS BY MR ROBBINS

The ratepayers of Masterton will be called upon, on Wednesday next, to vote on the proposal to bring the Fire Brigades' Act into operation in Masterton, and for the purpose of having the measure explained the Masterton Borough Council invited Mr B. C. Robbins, past President of the U.F.B.A. and ex-Mayor of Hawera, to speak on the Act in the Town Hall last evening. The attendance was not large. Cr E. McEwen occupied the chair, and in introducing the speaker apologised for the absence of the Mayor, who was unavoidably absent. Mr Robbjns, who is thoroughly Conversant with the subject, having had a great deal to do with the introduction of the Bill into Parliament, gave an interesting and lucid address, and his remarks were frequently applauded. He said it was to be regretted that there was not a larger attendance when a subject of such importance as the maintenance of a Fire Brigade was to be discussed. However, he hoped those present would learn something about the Act that would be of use to them. As one who had been connected with the fire service of the colony for 25 years he had used every endeavour to have it placed on a sound basis. In this colony, where there were so many wooden buildings, it was necessary to have efficient fire brigades. The municipalities found great difficulty in keeping the brigades thoroughly equipped, owing -to lack of money. Generally speaking, throughout New Zealand the / fire brigades and their appliances were not what they should be. He did not blame the Borough Councils for this state of affairs, because they had to carry out such a i number of other works in the Borough that there was not sufficient money left for the proper equipment of a fire brigade. Not only were the j brigades poorly equipped, but the ' men gave their services voluntarily, j and they had either to make a "Christy Minstrel Show" of themselves, or go on their knees and beg for money to provide funds for appliances. Another thing the brigades had to contend against was public ridicule when they were vainly endeavouring to fight a fire without proper plant. That had been the position all along, and he might add that if those present saw the plant and' accommodation of some of the brigades in the colony they would be astonished. Some Borough Councils expected the brigades to keep their plantin good order in old ramshackle buildings where they would not put a dog. Was it not surprising, said the speaker, that in the face of these facts, the firemen still continue to give their services voluntarily to a work which was not at all easy. The people of the colony were now beginning to recognise the services of the fire brigades in a greater measure than they had hitherto done. What he had been trying to do for years was to raise the status of fire brigades. The whole thing was only a matter of "£ s. d." In Hawera — a town not as big as Masterton —it cost the ratepayers from £l5O to £2OO to keep the fire brigade in a fairly efficient state. He did not know what it cost in Masterton, but he should say between £3OO and £4OO. That was a heavy expense for the ratepayers to bear. The ratepayers were not the only persons that benefited by a fire brigade. Those who benefited mostly were the Insurance Companies, who, up to the present, paid nothing towards the upkeep of the brigades. He had been struggling with the Fire Brigades Bill for che last six years to get it enacted that Insurance Companies doing business in a town should pay their quota towards the upkeep of the fire brigade in that town. The Fire Briugdes' Act, as now passed, provided that the Government, as well as Insurance Companies, should contribute towards the cost of maintaining the brigades. If the Act were brought into operation in Masterton, the spirit of the brigade would not be altered, that is, the men 'would still be volunteers. It had been said that the men would want to be paid, but he contended that firemen who had given their services freely in the past, under adverse cix-cumstances, would still continue to do su, under the advantages of the Act. He knew that firemen would still continue to give their services voluntarily to the public. He then went en to explain the working of the Act. A bare, majority would carry the proposal at the poll. He did not think Masterton would take the retrograde step of rejecting the proposal. Already five or six Municipalities had carried the proposal. If the ratepayers decided on having the Act brought into force in Masterton the Fire Briigades Board would be constituted in May. The Board would comprise three representatives of the Borough Council, not necessarily members of the Council, three representatives of the insurance companies doing business in the town, and one representative of \he .Government. The Board would hold office for two years and would mset quarterly. At the first meeting in June the estimates for the ensuing year would be compiled and submitted to the Minister in charge of the Act. If the proposal was not carried at the coming elections it would be two years before another poll could be taken, and once the proposal was carried there would be no further polls. The insurance companies would have to hand in a statement to the Boai-d of the business they were doing in the Borough and be rated accordingly. The members of the Board were under a heavy penalty not to disclose the business of the insurance companies so placed before them. A rate was also levied on all the rateable property of the Borough, and on any Government property in the Borough. Any surplus at the end of the year would be divided between the Borough Council and th« insurance companies. There would be one man in charge of the brigade called superintendent and the brigade would recommend to the Board the person they wished to be appointed superintendent. Under the Act the superintendent was given great power at the time of a fire. He had full charge of the town water mains, and even had power over the ordinary police. It was said by critics that under the Act the ratepayers would have to bear a heavy expenditure, but he L'ould assure them that the representatives of the Borough Council would be just as careful with the ex-

penditure of Borough money a& formerly, and the representatives of the insurance companies would undoubtedly look after their companies' interests. Under the Act the Government, the insurance companies and the Borough Council would be paying the money for the efficient upkeep of the brigade that was now being paid solely by the Borough Council. The Act also provided for the appointment of an inspector and sub-inspector for the whole colony, whose duty it would be to visit the ! variouslbrigades and .advise them of the latest devices for fire fighting,and the most up to-date patterns of fire appliances. The Act contained a flaw; it was not perfect. Neither was any other Act as far as he could see. The Board would have no powti' Under the Act to raise money by borrowing for any heavy expenditure, such as the ei'efctioh of new buildings. He did not know how the Board would get over that diffici/lty, unless they made some arrangement; with the local governing body. In conclusion, he would urge the ratepayers to take advantage of the Act by voting for it on Wednesday next. Masterton was a progressive town in every Qther department, and he was sure they would iine to have a fire brigade that' WGtild do justice to the town. (Applause)# On the motion of Mr E. seconded by Mr D. A. Pickering, a vote of thanks was accorded to Mr Robbins for his interesting address. The motion was carried by acclamation. A vote of thanks was also passed to the chairman.