FIRE CONTROL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 29 April 1939, Page 7

FIRE CONTROL

MEETING OF MASTERTON BOARD. ; STRENGTH OF BRIGADE. The chairman, Mr Trevor Beetham, presided at the quarterly meeting of the Masterton Fire Board, held last night. Others present were: Messrs W. Kemp. W. Candy. V. Edgar and J. Quin. The'chairman said that the revenue account for the year ended March 31 disclosed a satisfactory position. Receipts for the year amounted to £4336 5s lid and disbursements to £4172 0s Bd. leaving a credit balance of £164 5s 3d. During the year the new Leyland fire unit was paid for and the final payment due on the station of £BOO was liquidated. All the board’s properties and plant were now free of debt. A number of items of expenditure showed increases during the year and could be accounted for mainly by the fact that the brigade answered 23 mere calls than last year. That represented an increase of 36 calls over 1930. Il was regrettable to have to report that the number of malicious false alarms showed a big increase, the number during the past year being six as compared with two for the previous year. In placing before members a summary of wages paid during the past five years. Mr Beetham said he would strongly recommend that serious consideration be given to the matter of reducing the strength of the permanent staff to three. The wages paid to members of the staff were showing a serious increase, and since 1935 had risen from ff(>2s to £2050. It. was a matter for the board’s decision as to whether, in view of the extended leave required to be given to tli<‘ staff, any increased efficiency was being obtained by the payment of wages to a stall of seven. If the staff were reduced to three members, all of whom were officers, and a considerable increase in retainers to auxiliary members were allowed, a saving of £BOO or £9OO could be made as compared with last year. It would, of course, be necessary to be satisfied thai efficiency of the brigade would not be j impaired.