CHRISTCHURCH FIRE BOARD.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 12852, 10 July 1907, Page 9

CHRISTCHURCH FIRE BOARD.

I The matins of the Chri.tchurchFiro Board l«t night ™ attended by \Umn J- U- llall (~ J j£pr,J.F.Ori C r« n .C. AU»on..nd H R. RuabridgeCOKHESPOXDEXCJ3. Thn Cbriitchiirch City Council wrote, .anting to the Miction that tho obtains tho • nC AW ar 'j^ n rintim.tcd that ho hn 1 plane for a more up-to-date ' It and a letter system of roiri S alarms nml preventing Ia No 'X 'ro with vehicular traflic. lift X to piwiit hii plans *,„' approval of tho Hoard . It was St«l that Mr Juris., should bo mv.tod / ..on Department, to supply va nations ' ° Govwnmont building*, and « oiino 2ch buiMing* within the arc-a ot tho lire district. T HB BOARD'S FUTURE POLICY. Mr Allison said that since last meetini the high pressure water supply P<>" Jd been carried, which might pebbly So tlJo effect of making tho board ! ..fifv it* estimate* of expenditure. ' Mr Cooper pointed out that tho water l . ye months, and in any case it was initiative that the Board should whole amount included »i .aid that in Wellington the hißh prwßiiro supply wae eupple•"SfSSfiT pointed out that Jin* to tho estimates having beer nZ3 Vnd Submitted to the Minister, ft woul.l be very difficult to modify tho Pl jrt£T«aid he recognised tho tS in order that the explanation Sdit EO forth to the public in view "tho adverse criticisms of luo Mayor The Board had to improvo its plant ( and, besidee, to pay inte-rcet on buikiinw as well ac sinkins tund-a cost which the Council did not have u> ikßAr • c< ~\ Mr Cooper pointed out that in byrtnev and other places motor chemicals were used* in addition to tho ordinary water supply. , Mr Allison thought that when the « hiuh-pre»»ure supply «™ 8 available one steamer and one chemical should euifi«> tor the needs of the city. After further brief mscuesion (uio chairman reminding the board that tne Viotonau Metropolitan Jfiro board hau uo fewer tuan l * u steamers and niuuoioua other chemical and motor engines in addition to a water supply;, U» matter wiu* allowed to drop. CHAIRMAN'S REPORT. The Chairman reported that so far no intimation of tae Minister b approval 01 mc estimates nail been ie- ' teived. The Mimet«r iind, by notice in tho "Uazetto,' iixod tlio loth mot us tin* time beiore winch tne n.suiunco compiiince muflt transmit their returns. Umbiuerution of tho stammiz orders ami regulations aad boon delayed, iK-nding mc amendments to tno being eUtci-L'U. The speaker luul Leon nuoiuMxi tuat the lauu now occupied by mc bruiauo at c>iieat«r street was not owned i>y tlie City Council, but naa hoUi 111 trust lor liro imguito purpowe, uud tnut consequently tuo ix>a id was not liable to pay interest on the capital value {I.MM). Tlie vaiioiiß amOhULuoiita to tne Act eug&e&ttx. by tno iiuard ut Hβ lti.->t nieeiiui; liau U*u lointtrutd to tao .un. later, uud ■ wuis exprcaoou that oiuor iwxirus fi.U not t>oe tn-oir way to eejul lepremiuutivta to mo pi'v t xJMxi coiii«iviico rojttiive to auwiKiuieuis io Muiue unitoruiny oi action. xn fui'tuor ruieieiKO to aui«ndmenia to uio Act, bile Cnairuian saul &jum oi litvw apiwaitd ot a very injpoitunt nature, and deserved caretul ouiuiuorutiun, and it was auutfeateU tbut deleg.ute lioin the boaia should attend iKitoio tno co m nut Leo of the House Mvium the Amending bill was undor cuiieiiiorution. After dealing with tlie coiupotition of tlie Government Firo Insurance Department as aifocting private companies (as reported elsewhere) tuo Chairman continued: '"These- aro some of the results which may arise. There are many others which are possible and which require consideration with, n view to deciding whether the Hoard should take any further stops to-support tho amendment* suggeatod, and which will have thxj effect of relieving the insurance companies to tome extent from the burden thnt lia.-i be*n oast upon them Tho suggested . amendments 1 refer to are those piovidiitjz for (1) increased Government . contributions; (2) payment of brigado expenses at fires where property is not insuiod; (3) lev>' of contribution from absentee iuanranee companies; (4) limitation of areas entitled to set up Fire boards; nml (o) proportion ol votes to carry polls for i*'ire Boards. Tihere are ono or two other amendment!! which might be added to thoso already suggested." The report was adopted without discussion. PROPOSED AMENDMENTS. Tho Underwriters' Association submitted a list of proposed amendments to the Act for the approval of tho Board, and also suggested that a deputation should be sent to Wellington to interview the Committee ot the House on the matter. r Tho remits having been considered, tie proposal to ask for power to rate on the contents of Government buildings was approved; tho proposal to ask for power to rate educational, hospital, benevolent, and religious buildings was ii«ld over, and it was ngreod to support the constitution of provincial boaTda as against ono town and • one country board for each provincial district. It was decided also to supsort the proposal that new firo dia- > tricte or addition to established distrioti should be proclaimed only once a / ear ' preferably in March. Tho Chairman and Mr Cooper were instructed to endeavour to arrange a ©ouferenco of delegates from each of • the four Board* to bo held in Wellington, and thereafter to wait upon ' <h« JEJjlie Committee of tho House in reference to amendments to tho Act.