π’ Fire Boards
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[0] => The Fire Brigades Act 1906 provided for the establishment of fire districts in New Zealand. Every fire district had a Fire Board whose duties were the establishment and maintenance of efficient fire brigades.
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[custom1] => 1.This agency description was compiled as part of a project to capture the finding aids created prior to 1987 into the GAIMS system. Agency dates are based on the dates of holdings.
2. Documentation of other record group Fire Board agencies, record series and lists of records belonging to these agencies have not yet been captured in Archway: Please consult the paper finding aids held at Archives New Zealand's Wellington Office.
3. The Fire Board agencies not yet captured in Archway are: Fire Board Levin; Lower Hutt; Masterton; Runanga; Upper Hutt; Wellington; Porirua; Palmerston North; Eketahuna; Gisborne; Hutt County; Porangahau; Waipukarau; Otaki; Petone; New Plymouth; Hawera; the Fire Service Commission; the NZ Urban Fire Authorities Industrial Union of Employers, The NZ Urban Fire Authorities Association and the Fire Service Council.
[custom2] => 1. Annual Reports of the Inspector of Fire Brigades and the Fire Service Council as published in the Appendices to the Journals of the House of Represntatives.
2. Archives New Zealand, undated, Fire Boards (FB) Record Group, Fire Service Council (FSC) history notes
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[history] => By the end of the nineteenth century there were increasing concerns regarding the high incidence of fires and the minimal fire-fighting capability in many cities and towns of New Zealand. In 1904 a Parliamentary Committee report recommended the establishment of fire districts, each to be controlled by a suitably qualified board. Based largely on Australian experience, the key issue regarding the fire boards was their prospective cost. A three way share of the financial budget was devised between the Government, local authorities, and the fire insurance underwriters for each fire district. In 1906 the Fire Brigades Act was passed and fire districts were established leading to the formation of the Fire Boards.
Each Fire Board was comprised of one member appointed by the Governor, three members were elected by the local authority, and three additional members elected by the fire insurance companies within the fire district. The aim of the Fire Boards was the establishment and maintenance of efficient fire brigades. Legislation gave the Fire Boards the power to make by-laws regarding fire safety standards, provide for a superintendent in charge of the local fire brigade, establish fire stations, and organise volunteer firemen. In 1907 the Fire Brigades Act was re-enacted though the structure of the Fire Boards remained unchanged..
The development of fire districts was aided by the 1907 Act which allowed Fire Boards to purchase, lease or hold property. Much of the previous legislation regarding fire brigades was consolidated in the Fire Brigades Act 1908. Under the Act Fire Boards were required to submit an annual estimate of expenditure to the Minister of Internal Affairs. An Inspector of Fire Brigades was appointed to assess every fire brigade under control of a Fire Board. The Inspector reported annually to the Minister on the Fire Boards' administration of the Act. By 1909 twenty one Fire Boards had been established in New Zealand. The work performed by the Fire Boards was generally well received and the reports of the Inspector of Fire Brigades praised the efforts to modernise fire-fighting equipment and practices. During the First World War the Fire Boards were able to maintain local fire brigades despite the commitment of large numbers of firemen to military service overseas.
Further legislation in 1926 changed the structure of the Fire Boards. The Boards now consisted of five members, one appointed by the Governor, two elected by local authorities and two elected by local fire insurance companies. In larger fire districts with a population of more than 20,000, the Boards could have an additional two members. The Fire Brigades Act 1926 permitted Fire Boards to acquire any land required for the site of a fire station. A continuing problem for the Fire Boards was the lack of funding for fire stations and fire-fighting equipment. Significantly the legislation allowed Fire Boards to borrow (with Ministerial approval) finance for buildings, land and other requirements. By 1931 the number of Fire Boards had expanded to more than fifty-five nationally.
In 1932 the Fire Brigades Amendment Act was passed and again the Fire Boards were restructured. In order to improve efficiency fire districts could now amalgamate into united fire districts. The Fire Boards responsible for the united fire districts were comprised of one member appointed by the Governor in General, between two and four members elected by the local authority, and between two and four members elected by the local fire insurance companies. Fire Boards in many districts were community focused and members often held long terms of tenure. By the late 1930s the Inspector of Fire Brigades began to question the effectiveness of the highly decentralised fire service in New Zealand. Any proposals for change however were postponed by the outbreak of the Second World War.
The disastrous Ballantynes fire in 1947 was amongst New Zealand's worst with considerable loss of life. A Royal Commission was formed to investigate the circumstances surrounding the fire and its findings were critical of the decentralised control of the fire brigades. A key recommendation was that a single agency or small group of commissioners be formed to administer the fire service for the whole of New Zealand. Subsequently in 1949 the Fire Services Act was passed, though its provisions for reorganisation did not go as far as the Royal Commission's recommendations. A Fire Service Council was established and its role was to ensure that every fire district conformed to the requirements of the Act. All fire districts covered by the Act were declared to be united urban fire districts. Each of these districts was required to have an urban fire authority. The authority for these fire districts was to be a Fire Board. Smaller districts were controlled by Fire Committees. In practice the Fire Service Council maintained general control of the fire services. However administration effectively remained in the hands of the Fire Boards, Fire Committees, and local authorities.
By the early 1970s there were no less than 277 fire districts within New Zealand. The work of the Fire Boards was widely appreciated but doubts were raised regarding the relative efficiency of such a fragmented system. Changes began with the replacement of the Fire Service Council with a fire service commission under the Fire Services Amendment Act 1974. The commission found that while the fire brigades were of high quality, there was little coordination between the fire districts especially in terms of communications. It was recommended that a unified fire service be established for the entire country. The aim of the proposed structure was to centralise policy and finance but maintain decentralised operations.
In 1975 the landmark Fire Service Act was passed and the New Zealand Fire Service was established. Under the Act the New Zealand Fire Service Commission was formally constituted and given responsibility for the integrated fire services. A national four tier divisional structure was introduced, replacing the Fire Board's and Fire Committee's management of the fire districts. Fire Boards and Fire Committees were abolished by the Act and the Fire Service Commission took over their assets and liabilities. The work of the Fire Boards officially ceased on 1 April 1976.
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Show History
By the end of the nineteenth century there were increasing concerns regarding the high incidence of fires and the minimal fire-fighting capability in many cities and towns of New Zealand. In 1904 a Parliamentary Committee report recommended the establishment of fire districts, each to be controlled by a suitably qualified board. Based largely on Australian experience, the key issue regarding the fire boards was their prospective cost. A three way share of the financial budget was devised between the Government, local authorities, and the fire insurance underwriters for each fire district. In 1906 the Fire Brigades Act was passed and fire districts were established leading to the formation of the Fire Boards.
Each Fire Board was comprised of one member appointed by the Governor, three members were elected by the local authority, and three additional members elected by the fire insurance companies within the fire district. The aim of the Fire Boards was the establishment and maintenance of efficient fire brigades. Legislation gave the Fire Boards the power to make by-laws regarding fire safety standards, provide for a superintendent in charge of the local fire brigade, establish fire stations, and organise volunteer firemen. In 1907 the Fire Brigades Act was re-enacted though the structure of the Fire Boards remained unchanged..
The development of fire districts was aided by the 1907 Act which allowed Fire Boards to purchase, lease or hold property. Much of the previous legislation regarding fire brigades was consolidated in the Fire Brigades Act 1908. Under the Act Fire Boards were required to submit an annual estimate of expenditure to the Minister of Internal Affairs. An Inspector of Fire Brigades was appointed to assess every fire brigade under control of a Fire Board. The Inspector reported annually to the Minister on the Fire Boards' administration of the Act. By 1909 twenty one Fire Boards had been established in New Zealand. The work performed by the Fire Boards was generally well received and the reports of the Inspector of Fire Brigades praised the efforts to modernise fire-fighting equipment and practices. During the First World War the Fire Boards were able to maintain local fire brigades despite the commitment of large numbers of firemen to military service overseas.
Further legislation in 1926 changed the structure of the Fire Boards. The Boards now consisted of five members, one appointed by the Governor, two elected by local authorities and two elected by local fire insurance companies. In larger fire districts with a population of more than 20,000, the Boards could have an additional two members. The Fire Brigades Act 1926 permitted Fire Boards to acquire any land required for the site of a fire station. A continuing problem for the Fire Boards was the lack of funding for fire stations and fire-fighting equipment. Significantly the legislation allowed Fire Boards to borrow (with Ministerial approval) finance for buildings, land and other requirements. By 1931 the number of Fire Boards had expanded to more than fifty-five nationally.
In 1932 the Fire Brigades Amendment Act was passed and again the Fire Boards were restructured. In order to improve efficiency fire districts could now amalgamate into united fire districts. The Fire Boards responsible for the united fire districts were comprised of one member appointed by the Governor in General, between two and four members elected by the local authority, and between two and four members elected by the local fire insurance companies. Fire Boards in many districts were community focused and members often held long terms of tenure. By the late 1930s the Inspector of Fire Brigades began to question the effectiveness of the highly decentralised fire service in New Zealand. Any proposals for change however were postponed by the outbreak of the Second World War.
The disastrous Ballantynes fire in 1947 was amongst New Zealand's worst with considerable loss of life. A Royal Commission was formed to investigate the circumstances surrounding the fire and its findings were critical of the decentralised control of the fire brigades. A key recommendation was that a single agency or small group of commissioners be formed to administer the fire service for the whole of New Zealand. Subsequently in 1949 the Fire Services Act was passed, though its provisions for reorganisation did not go as far as the Royal Commission's recommendations. A Fire Service Council was established and its role was to ensure that every fire district conformed to the requirements of the Act. All fire districts covered by the Act were declared to be united urban fire districts. Each of these districts was required to have an urban fire authority. The authority for these fire districts was to be a Fire Board. Smaller districts were controlled by Fire Committees. In practice the Fire Service Council maintained general control of the fire services. However administration effectively remained in the hands of the Fire Boards, Fire Committees, and local authorities.
By the early 1970s there were no less than 277 fire districts within New Zealand. The work of the Fire Boards was widely appreciated but doubts were raised regarding the relative efficiency of such a fragmented system. Changes began with the replacement of the Fire Service Council with a fire service commission under the Fire Services Amendment Act 1974. The commission found that while the fire brigades were of high quality, there was little coordination between the fire districts especially in terms of communications. It was recommended that a unified fire service be established for the entire country. The aim of the proposed structure was to centralise policy and finance but maintain decentralised operations.
In 1975 the landmark Fire Service Act was passed and the New Zealand Fire Service was established. Under the Act the New Zealand Fire Service Commission was formally constituted and given responsibility for the integrated fire services. A national four tier divisional structure was introduced, replacing the Fire Board's and Fire Committee's management of the fire districts. Fire Boards and Fire Committees were abolished by the Act and the Fire Service Commission took over their assets and liabilities. The work of the Fire Boards officially ceased on 1 April 1976.
1.This agency description was compiled as part of a project to capture the finding aids created prior to 1987 into the GAIMS system. Agency dates are based on the dates of holdings.
2. Documentation of other record group Fire Board agencies, record series and lists of records belonging to these agencies have not yet been captured in Archway: Please consult the paper finding aids held at Archives New Zealand's Wellington Office.
3. The Fire Board agencies not yet captured in Archway are: Fire Board Levin; Lower Hutt; Masterton; Runanga; Upper Hutt; Wellington; Porirua; Palmerston North; Eketahuna; Gisborne; Hutt County; Porangahau; Waipukarau; Otaki; Petone; New Plymouth; Hawera; the Fire Service Commission; the NZ Urban Fire Authorities Industrial Union of Employers, The NZ Urban Fire Authorities Association and the Fire Service Council.
1. Annual Reports of the Inspector of Fire Brigades and the Fire Service Council as published in the Appendices to the Journals of the House of Represntatives.
2. Archives New Zealand, undated, Fire Boards (FB) Record Group, Fire Service Council (FSC) history notes
- Fire Brigades Act 1926
- Fire Services Amendment Act (No.2) 1974
- Fire Brigades Act 1906
- Fire Brigades Act 1907
- Fire Brigades Act 1908
- Fire Brigades Amendment Act 1913
- Fire Brigades Amendment Act 1914
- Fire Brigades Amendment Act 1932
- Fire Services Act 1949
- π’ New Zealand Urban Fire Authorities' Association (1906 ‑ 1975)
- π Realm of New Zealand (1947 ‑ 1978)
- π Dominion of New Zealand (1907 ‑ 1947)
- π Self-Governing Colony of New Zealand (1889 ‑ 1907)