Fire service gratuity rate request denied

Charlie Smellie feels shortchanged over the amount he received for his Fire Service gratuity. Photo/John Stone

A former volunteer fireman's request to be paid a Fire Service gratuity at the present rate of $120 per year of service, rather than the $40 a year rate applying in 1987 when he left the Kerikeri Fire Brigade, has been rejected.

Charlie Smellie, 76, is a foundation member of the Kerikeri brigade, set up with a wheelbarrow pump in 1955.

He was later with the Whangarei and Russell brigades, but most of his 32 years service as a volunteer was at Kerikeri, where he featured on a television programme after swimming to the rescue of two fishermen near Cape Wiwiki during a Kerikeri brigade callout in 1984. He also painted the brigade's fire station after he retired from firefighting duties on September 17, 1987.

Mr Smellie told the Advocate that in December last year he had learned the Fire Service had introduced the payment of gratuities to fire brigade volunteers who had completed more than 10 years of service.

The gratuity, introduced in the Fire Service Act 1975, was calculated at $20 for each year of service after April 1, 1976.

Order in Council legislation in 1982 increased the payment to $40 for each year of service and a 1988 order raised the rate to $80. The Fire Service Amendment Act 1990 increased the gratuity to $120 for each year of service.

Mr Smellie applied for his gratuity and received $371 earlier this year, calculated at $40 a year for his 11.5 years of service after April 1, 1976 ($460) less tax.

Feeling shortchanged, he sought a gratuity based on the Fire Service Amendment Act rate of $120 for each year of service, which would give him $1380 before tax.

Fire Service Muri Whenua Area manager Allan Kerrisk, of Kerikeri, said legislation compelled the gratuity to be paid at the rate which applied when Mr Smellie quit firefighting in 1987.

Mr Kerrisk said the Fire Service had documents showing Mr Smellie got a cheque for his gratuity many years ago.

"We've also got a statement from him saying he never got the money," Mr Kerrisk said.

The Fire Service had "put the matter right" by issuing another cheque for the gratuity Mr Smellie would have received in 1987. George Verry, chief executive of the United Fire Brigades Association said the legislation needed reviewing to bring all gratuity payments up to date.