NEW STATION.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 149, 25 June 1936, Page 8

NEW STATION.

FIRE BRIGADE NEED.

INADEQUATE ACCOMMODATION

MAJOR CHANGES LIKELY.

Negotiations are at present in train for the acquisition of a site for a new fire brigade station. While the Minister of Internal Affail's, the Hon. W. E Parry, is in Auckland, lie will inspect several sites which, tlie Auckland Metropolitan Fire Board lias in mind. It j 3 understood that" changes of a major kind are intended, and that the sum of money involved is large. Some of the sites to be inspected are in the inner city are-". It is possible that the headquarters of the central station may be changed as a result of the new plans. It has been felt for some time that the ' present quarters of the central station in Pitt Street are inadequate. Every available square inch has been built 011, until accommodation both f or the brigade men and the equipment is in far too confined a space.

The. Pitt Street station was built j n 1902 to accommodate eight men. There are now 40 men, and addition after addition lias been made, and there is room for 110 further builc.ing. In 1902 Auckland was a relatively small city j n comparison with its size at the present time. Perhaps at no timeyi its history has expansion been so rapid : as in recent years. The fire brigade has still to serve the whole city, though it is far larger; but accommodation has not grown relatively. Despite ;tlie fact that suburban stations have been built, the difficulty has not been solved, and it is felt that the only solution is by expansion of the central quarters.

With tlie growth of the city and the size and complexity of the individual buildings, more equipment lias been necessary—equipment that lias taken more space than the old. 4 Even now tenders have been received : for a new motor with a pump attached. This is an indication of the justice of the plea for more room.

Mr. Parry when asked this morning would say. no more .than that while in the city he would inspect certain sites ill company with members of the Fire Board. He would not give details as to the location of tlic sites.

The matter was discussed in committee at the last meeting of the Auckland Fire Board.

Confirmation of what Mr. Parry had said was given by Mr. J. J. Kingston, chairman of the board. He said that Mr. Parry was meeting liim to-morrow to discuss the matter and until then he was not in a position to make a statement.