2910
THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.
[No. 87

ENGAGEMENT TERMINABLE BY BOARD.

11. All engagements or appointments made by the Board may be cancelled, annulled, or terminated by the Board.

LEAVE OF ABSENCE.

12. All paid members of the brigade shall be entitled to leave of absence from 9 a.m. to midnight (15 hours) on one day in each six. The Superintendent to be entitled to three weeks’ (504 hours) annual leave, and all other ranks to be entitled to two weeks’ (336 hours) annual leave, but inclusive of the hours of the weekly leave during such periods. Annual leave shall only be granted at such times as may be suitable to the working of the brigade.

RETIRING-AGE.

13. The ages at which members of the brigade must retire from the service shall be as follows: Superintendent, 60 years; Deputy Superintendent, 55 years; foreman, 50 years; firemen, 50 years; motor-drivers, 50 years; but the Board may, if it thinks fit in any special cases, extend these limits for a further five years or more.

THE SUPERINTENDENT.

14. The duties and powers of the Superintendent shall be as follows:—

(a.) He shall be responsible to the Board for the efficiency of the members of the brigade and all gear used in its service.

(b.) He shall have power during the probationary term of service to dispense with the services of such probationer for any cause which he, the Superintendent, shall think fit.

(c.) He shall have power, if he deem it necessary, to engage auxiliary firemen or other men to temporarily fill the place of permanent firemen; and he may from time to time dispense with the services of all or any such men.

(d.) He shall have power to deal with all cases of breaches of regulations, orders, directions, duty, or discipline committed by members of the brigade in manner set forth in these regulations; and he shall have power to suspend any member for breach of discipline or misconduct of any description at any time, but must at once report such suspension to the Board. The member who has been dealt with or who has been suspended may appeal to the Board, who may hold an inquiry into the alleged breach of discipline or misconduct. At such inquiry the suspended member shall be present and have the right to speak in his defence, and, if he desires, bring witnesses in support of same.

(e.) He shall allot quarters to the members of the brigade, and such members shall reside in such quarters as he may from time to time direct.

(f.) He shall allot such duties to the members of the brigade as he shall deem necessary for ensuring the efficiency thereof, and may withdraw any member from any special duty and allot him fresh duties at his (the Superintendent’s) discretion.

(g.) He shall keep an Order-book in each station, in which all orders and instructions to the members of the brigade shall be entered. Such orders shall be dated and signed by the Superintendent. This Order-book shall be kept at such place in each station that all members may have access to it, and it shall be the duty of the members to make themselves acquainted with the orders and instructions contained therein. One of the Order-books shall be produced at each meeting of the Board.

(h.) He shall prepare requisitions for all goods, materials, or stores required for the service of the brigade, and submit same on the first day of each month to the Secretary of the Board. On the requisitions being approved, and the goods, materials, or stores delivered, he shall check same as to numbers, weights, and quantities, and shall certify to having received same, and that they are in accordance with the approved requisitions. In cases of urgency he may purchase goods or order repairs to the value of (not exceeding) £5, and shall at once report such purchases or orders for repairs to the Secretary of the Board, and state the reason of the urgency. Except as herein provided, he shall have no power to purchase on behalf of the Board, nor to in any way pledge the Board’s credit for goods, materials, or stores, or for repairs. The Superintendent to strictly adhere to any arrangement made by the Board for obtaining goods in accordance with accepted tenders, or to advise the Board that better results can be obtained by calling for tenders.

(i.) He shall keep, or cause to be kept, a Store Ledger, in which shall be entered all property of the Board in charge of the brigade. Such ledger shall record the numbers, weights, or quantities of each article in charge at the first of each month, the purchase of each during the month, expenditure during month, and the numbers, weight, or quantities of each article remaining at the first day of the month following. Such Store Ledger shall be produced at each meeting of the Board if required.

(j.) He shall have power to arrange the days in each week and the times in each year when and during which paid members shall be entitled to leave of absence as provided by clause 12 of this by-law, and not exceeding the hours therein mentioned; and he shall have power to grant leave of absence to the auxiliary members for any period not exceeding one month in any one year; and he may, for sufficient reason, either from stress of work or other cause, cancel any or all leave at any time. Any leave of absence for longer periods than stated shall only be granted by the Board on a written request from the member to the Superintendent, and accompanied by a recommendation from the Superintendent that the same be allowed.

(k.) He shall, as soon as conveniently may be done after the receipt by the brigade of a call to attend any fire or false alarm, report to the Secretary of the Board on the form provided for that purpose such particulars as to the call as shall be required by the said form.

(l.) He shall keep in a book provided for that purpose a roll of the members of the brigade. Such Roll Book to contain the names, ages, occupations, and addresses of members.

(m.) He shall prior to each annual meeting prepare a brief confidential report for presentation to the Board, dealing with the efficiency of the personnel and material of the Brigade, with recommendations for any changes or alterations therein.

(n.) He shall prepare all returns that may be required under the Fire Brigades Act.

(o.) He shall perform any duty the Board may from time to time assign to him.

15. In the absence of the Superintendent from any cause, the Deputy Superintendent, or, in his absence, the next senior officer, shall have and exercise all the powers and duties laid down for the Superintendent.

16. Every member of the brigade must obey the lawful orders of his superior officers only, and must conform to all the rules and regulations which have been made or which may be made from time to time by the Board, and all orders and instructions which may be issued from time to time by the Superintendent in exercise of the powers conferred on him by the Board and entered in the Order-book hereinbefore provided to be kept.

17. In the absence of the Superintendent or Deputy Superintendent at any fire, the senior officer present shall assume command of all members attending such fire, including volunteers and private brigades, and all members shall work under his orders only.

18. Misconduct or breach of discipline by any member of the brigade shall constitute a breach of the by-laws, and the Board may in its discretion inflict fines up to a sum not exceeding £2 in the case of a paid member, or £1 in the case of an auxiliary member receiving any pay or allowance, for every separate offence, or may dismiss such member. Any fines as aforesaid shall be stopped from any pay or allowance due to the offending member.

19. For misconduct or breach of discipline by any officer, in addition to the fines provided by paragraph 18, the Board may reduce such officer in rank.

20. On discharge from the Board’s service, either by resignation or dismissal, each member must return to the station to which he may be posted, in good order and condition (fair wear-and-tear excepted), every article of clothing or equipment the property of the Board which may be on issue to him, and in the event of his failing so to do the cost of any article of clothing or equipment not returned, or returned in a damaged condition, shall be charged to him, and deducted from any pay or money that may be due to him, or recovered by process of law.

21. Donations by the public in recognition of the brigade’s services shall be the property of the brigade, to be used in providing for the comfort and recreation of the members, or otherwise for the benefit of the brigade, in accordance with the regulations the brigade may make and the Board approve.

22. The Board may from time to time establish and maintain, protect, remove, or otherwise deal with electrical fire-alarm circuits within the fire district as may seem fit.

23. The Board shall have power from time to time to fix a scale of charges for maintenance or control or use of the fire-stations or fire-alarm circuits connected therewith.

24. The Superintendent may, with the permission of the Board, or Chairman or Deputy Chairman, should occasion require, permit a portion of the brigade and plant to be taken outside the limit of the fire district, or on shipping, subject to the payment by the owner or occupier of any building, and by the owner or agent of any ship or vessel, of such charges as the Board shall from time to time consider adequate.

25. The Board may arrange that an annual fee be paid for retaining the services of such plant at such charges as may have been determined by the Board; provided always that the services of such plant are available, and the same are not required within the fire district.

26. The Board may permit a portion of the brigade or plant to render services other than at fires under special circumstances, and in such cases such charges may be made as for services of the brigade and use of plant for attending fires outside the fire district, or as the Board may consider adequate.