METROPOLITAN FIRE BOARD

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 194, 17 August 1932, Page 5

METROPOLITAN FIRE BOARD

SUPPORT AT MOUNT ALBERT. MORE EFFICIENCY EXPECTED. The principle of the formation of a metropolitan iire board received almost u'nanimoue approval at the meeting of the Mount Albert Borough Council last night. The Mayor. Mr. TV. F. Stilwell, said that from the point of view of efficiency Mount Albert would be more comprehensively -and easily protected from fire, as there would be brigade stations Oil all sides.-TJelay in attending to lires occurring , n'cdr.or'.gift'! the boundary of. the borough vroiiiii l 'be eliminated. The voluntary brigades had cost £1610 per annum, but under the metropolitan board the cost would be lessened by £500. Although the borough Mould have to pay about £128 per year more under, the metropolitan system than under the district fire board, which had only recently been formed, the extra efficiency that the borough would derive from the former would easily compensate for the extra expense. The ccyst of setting Tip the metropolitan board would be only £30.0U0, to which each borough would pay itri apportioned share, and that would be the first and last cost for many venrs.

Messrs. D. T). Fulton, V. A. Coyle and 1!. Ferner also spoke in favour of Mount Albert supporting the establishment of the metropolitan board.

It was decided that the council was in favour of the system of election to the metropolitan board as carried out by the Technical College School Board, ii lid that there should be two members representing Auckland City Council and two from other local bodies. In respect of assets to be taken over by the proposed board, liability should be assumed by the board for the total yearly loan payments, and that other lire-lighting equipment and assets not provided out of loan moneys be taken over on a valuation basis 'as provided in the Fire Brigades Act, 1926.