DEVONPORT'S BURDEN.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 215, 11 September 1929, Page 10

DEVONPORT'S BURDEN.

HEAVY LOSS OF RATES. NAVAL DEFENCE PROPERTY. PREMIER TO MAKE INSPECTION. (By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, this clay. The familiar subjects of Devonport's heavy burden of non-rateable naval defence property, and the danger of the dump of high explosives at Fort Takapuna, were further ventilated in the House of Representatives last night by Mr. A. Harris (Waitemata) and other Auckland members. The Minister of Defence, the Hon. T. M. Wilford, gave an assurance that the Prime Minister would visit Devonport and see what could be done to meet the borough's special case regarding non-rateable defence areas. His . reply concerning the ammunition dump was that experts declared it to be of no danger to residents, but that the Defence Department was looking for another location. Mr. M. J. Savage (Auckland West) said it was all very well for the Minister to counter by saying that an arrangement had been entered into with the Imperial Government, but that surely could not be the last word. Mr. Wilford: Did the dump come to the borough, or did the borough come to the dump? Mr. Savage: I am not in a position to answer that question, but I think the idump should be made to leave the borough, in either case. We don't expect the change to be effected in five minutes, but a start should be made on the grounds of public safety, and also on economic grounds. Explosives Carted in Streets. Mr. Wilford stated that the Department wanted to shift the dump to another place, and that other place was now being sought after. Every report he had seen had stated that the dump was not dangerous. He simply had to accept the opinion of the inspector of explosives. Mr. Savage said the Minister could surely not expect Auckland members to be satisfied with such an answer. Why was th.e dmup safe at Devonport if it

was unsafe at Auckland? The point was that ships unloading explosives were not allowed to discharge at Auckland, but had to go to Motuihi. After thatrtheexplosives were carted through the streets of Devonport to the damp. Mr. Wilford: But we take them through the streets of Auckland to Ngaruawahia camp. Mr. Savage: Then how can that be squared with the compulsory discharge of explosives at Motuihi? No one who knows anything about explosives would expect anyone to believe that explosives aro not dangerous. Tiritiri Island Suggested. Mr. H. R. Jenkins (Paniell) suggested that the dump might be shifted to Tiri Island, which was" State owned. Mr. Harris said the dump was established within Devonport Borough about the time of the "Russian scare," and the people of Devonport had no say in the matter. Ho urged that the Government should grant the Devonport Borough Council a special subsidy in respect of Queen's Parade, which carried a great deal of Naval traffic. If a subsidy were granted the roadway could be laid down in permanent material. Mr. Wilford, replying on the last point, said he would be glad to bring the question of a subsidy for Queen's Parade before Cabinet, as it was a road which led directly to the Naval base. He stated that when the Mayor of Devonport, Mr. E. Aldridge, waited on the Prime Minister recently, Sir Joseph Ward promised to make a special visit to Devonport to see the position for himself. Mr. Harris: Oh, I didn't understand that he promised to go. I thought he promised to communicate with tho Naval commodore on the subject. Mr. Wilford: No, I have the note of it here, and I am' authorised to speak for the Prime Minister. He promised to go and see what could be done to meet the special case. By that decision the Prime Minister will stand. Mr. Wilford added that he was assured the explosives were quite safe, because the fuses were separate from the shells, and fuses and shells were kept n different rooms. Mr. W. E. Parry (Auckland Central): And I should think they would be> too. (Laughter.)