CENTRAL CONTROL.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 56, 7 March 1934, Page 9

CENTRAL CONTROL.

NEW ZEALAND FIRE BOARD

MOUNT ALBERT OPPOSITION

Following tlio tone of a report by its representative on the Metropolitan Fire Board, Mr. W. D. Fulton, the Mount Albert Borough Council decided last evening to oppose the Government scheme to set up a Dominion Fire Board control, inasmuch as it affects the cities. The Mayor, Mr. R. Ferncr, in moving a resolution to be brought forward at the conference in Wellington next week, said that he was strongly in favour of the principle of fire-fighting on a national scale. However, the Auckland Metropolitan Fire Board was functioning at present in as efficient a manner as was possible, and if a Dominion-wide system be adopted it should be only for small centres and in the provinces, not for the cities, which all had their own efficient metropolitan fire organisations. In his report, Mr. Fulton declared: "The formation of such a board of control seems to me to be absolutely unnecessary. A nc.v board must only add to the cost of fire prevention with regard to the large centres. The Auckland Board, which came into being last April, has kept well within the estimates, despite heavy unexpected expenditure. I heartily disapprove of Dominion control by a Wellington board for the larger fire boards of the Dominion Centralisation in Wellington is not desirable for the rest of the Dominion, and has not proved satisfactory in all eases. '"Mass buying in Wellington might deprive local traders of the rights they are entitled to, and it is doubtful if any material saving could be made. Why, then, create a new board to control an already efficient service? Such control must naturally mean increased office and travelling expenses." The motion, when put to the meeting, was carried unanimously.