CONFISCATION.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 208, 3 September 1929, Page 5

CONFISCATION.

COUNCIL'S PROPOSAL

10,000 GALLONS OF PETROL

SEIZED FROM BURNED STORE.

ILLEGAL STORAGE ALLEGED. (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) CHRISTCHURCH, this day. "YV lien the petrol store at the corner of Madras and Carlvle Streets, caught fire, or was set on fire, recently, there were 185,14G gallons of dangerous goods on the premises. The approximate quantity of petrol salvaged was 112,772 gallons. Already 10,164 gallons of this has been seized by the City Council. The council last evening decided to prosecute the owners of the store on the charge that they had stored an excessive quantity of dangerous goods, and to ask the magistrate that the amount seized should be contiscated. Mr. W. Wilkinson, in suggesting that the matter be referred back to the Bylaws Committee, said it was very drastic to ask a magistrate to confiscate 10,000 gallons of petrol. 'Til connection with this fire, we just escaped a terrible catastrophe," said the Mayor, the Rev. J. K. Archer. He added that an excessive quantity of petrol had been stored. Not only had it been kept in the store, but the company had actually stored thousands of gallons' in unlicensed premises, and quite a lot had been stored in the open air. It was a positive danger to the people. "If traders are allowed to get away with this sort of thing, where is our responsibility to the community?" he asked. The amendment to defer consideration was lost.