(1) Every whole-time employee of a local authority referred to in sub-section (1) of section 18 and who was employed by such local authority wholly or mainly in connection with the Fire Service of such local authority immediately before the appointed day, shall, on and from the appointed day, become an employee of the State Government, and shall hold his office under the State Government on the same tenure, at the same remuneration and upon the same terms and conditions and with the same rights and privileges as to pension and gratuity and other matters as he would have held the same under the local authority as if its assets and liabilities relating to the Fire Service had not been transferred to the State Government, and shall continue to do so unless and until his remuneration, terms and conditions are duly altered by the State Government.
(2) If any question arises whether any person was a whole-time employee of a local authority or as to whether any employee was employed wholly or mainly in connection with the Fire Service of a local authority immediately before the appointed day, the question shall 12 be decided by the State Government and its decision shall be final.