BIRKENHEAD SCHEMES.

Auckland Star, Volume LIII, Issue 142, 17 June 1922, Page 5

BIRKENHEAD SCHEMES.

DRAINAGE AND ELECTRICITY. ESTIMATED COST £63,000. FIRE BRIGADE EQUIPMENT. Proposals involving the raising of loans aggregating upwards of £13,000 were approved by the Birkenhead Borjugh Council last night. DRAINAGE SCHEME. The sewerage of the more closely populated portion of the borough, emibracing the whole of the aTca east of Rosebery Avenue on the north and the Colonial" Sugar Refining Company's dams towards the south to the seaboard, is estimated to cost £41,000. About £5000 more is to be provided to assist ratepayers to finance connections. This latter amount, however, will not be a charge on the rates, but will merely affect those ratepayers availing themselves of the convenience, and the interest will be discharged by such, tlie idea being that £10 should be paid towards the initial cost, and the balance repaid in equal payments extending over five years. Under the scheme the sewers are of sufficient size to deal with all future requirements. It is desired that the scheme should be pushed ahead with the utmost celerity that finances permit, though it is an unavoidable feature that as the woTk progresses some portions of the borough will be able to benefit by coupling up before others. The rates will be levied on the unimproved value of the area outlined, and it is asserted that in

many cases the annual cost to ratepayers will be less that what is being paid for the present sanitary service. It was stated last night that in this connection the Colonial .Sugar Company had been treated very fairly, as the greater portion of the area held for water conservation purposes was not included in the drainage rating area. The only portion taken into the area was to receive 'benefit. ELECTRIC LIGHT. Some discussion took place as to the advisability of including Birkdale in the electric lighting scheme. Those advocating its inclusion contended that Birkdale was entitled to this improvement, which would "boom" that portion of the borough. On the other hand, it waa felt that the loan poll should not be jeopardised for the populated area, in the event of the Birkdale people not beincr enthusiastic towards the project. This view, however, was discounted, and it was decided that the electric lighting scheme should apply to the whole borough. The cost was estimated at £17.500, including £1000 to pay J the first year's interest and sinking fund, and £1500 to finance ratepayers desiring such assistance towards the cost of house installations. FIRE FIGHTING. •Another matter which it was advocated should be added to the loan proposals was the provision of adequate lire-fighting equipment. Whether this could be defrayed from ordinary revenue, however, was held over, pending a report on the cost of the equipment required under the regulations of , the Auckland Eire Underwriters' Asso- i ciation. A communication from the association enumerated the principal items, comprising one main station in a central position, with accommodation for the firemen for instruction and social purposes, and sleeping quarters for at least one member of the brigade, the building to bo connected with the telephone, and a party telephone wire connecting up with ihe residential quarters of three or more members. A large alarm I bell and two smaller bells. licsides hose- j boxes, containing hydrant, hose and j nozzle, and a one-ton Ford chassis, with j torches, siren, ai least eight hundred I feet of hose, with all lengths coupled, j and the usual accompanying apparatus, completed the recognised outfit for a volunteer I'itc brigade under municipal | control. U was stated that with an . efficient brigade, so equipped, reductions ' in fire insurance premiums ranging from I 5 to 20 per cent could be looked for; the greater reductions, however, would be in the business area.