"TWO SIDES."

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18457, 11 August 1925, Page 11

"TWO SIDES."

BOARD DISPUTE.

SYDENHAM STATION. A TENDER ACCEPTED. After a somewhat boated discussion about tho proposed new Sydenham fl,a Station, the ChristcEurch Fire jjoarf last night decided to accept a tender of £6154 for the building P roT jj e d that reductions to tho value or ghaut £250 were made. (fte Christchurch City Council wrote etatioft that the Finance Committee dy; not feel disposed to agree to th<» jjJb of the present Sydenham Subrttatwn. Th e committee, however, ffookl be pleased to have a conferem*. jjfc the Board. jfr K. W. Robinson then made the ! fdtoiring statement:— , "A Cheap Library." <fit the City Council meeting held J. August 3rd, the Mayor stated that 'Former committees of tho City Council bad gono into ie whole °. uestion of the Sydenham sub-station and unanißKHjsly recommended that the present fire station should not continue to be used for that purpose and that the site rfioald be used for library additions.' Mr Andrews stated that 'The fire station was a part of the Sydenham library and a petition was before the Council for extensions to tho library: bore was the opportunity.' "Mr Andrews is using his position on this Board to secure a cheap property for "tho Sydenham library. I desire to ask bim whether he has any right whatever to cause this Board to waste bo that the Sydenham library may socure cheaply tho present Sydenham fire station building. .''On the; subject of the cost of tho new building as against the cost of the required alterations to the present building, Messrs Ford and Andrews wore both reported by the newspapers 8? having fced the difference in cost at £9Wj: • The afitual difterence is •C 3&35 The insuranoe.representatives of this Board have" with them to-night plaps wbfoh will, -substantiate this statement;* I would W very glad to give to the Board bdetejJs as to how 1 arrived at the difference pi £3B*s. Too V^J^VW&fo#° n '

Continuing, Mr BoMnsoa criticised the Dawo and Willis scheme, saying that it provided for at least twice as much accommodation as was required. Mr Bobinson protested against the Board's repeated refusals to accept the information which it should have got at first. ' The chairman, challenged that state- ' nteMv saying that the minutes proved |h»t everything that had boon dme had been dene with the full consent of all the'members of the Board. !' ~',{# Absolutely disagree with you,"" Mr Robinson. "On no occasion ~V]jgpi there' been a unanimous decision. "0- Jluno occasion has tho question of tho ''!fllp n come U P without our side want- . WaMp criticise the absurd scheme." * -W&&> & ißusbbridgo; This is the first history of the Board that ; thembers speak </£ sides. - win AsfeSbidiaary. . ' *%' > i'M * 4 outtW» tofiueace.'♦ Mr E. H. Andrews said that Mr fiob l fcj. inaon had refused to take the decision |-- of the Board, and he had tried to bring p' outside influence to bear. He was now f\ entirely out of order in his efforts to

If resuscitate the matter without giving fr •, notice to do so. The minority of tile was trying to dictate to the : *-* majority.,, Ho could not understand y", tkttt the Underwriters' Association had ' ,-*& o n* to outside bodies. V.Hr A. D. Ford: Who went to the Progress League! ; JiU'Stfbinson: I did not. ' considered thai Mr Bob♦u&n had gone to "childish lengths>» t I>la own way, .Ho had charged Mgpeftkor with trying to use his posiJst* 0 * et a cheap building for the Crjy Council. U»r Robinson: It reads that way. ' That'» the way you , rSfufft *# n a distorted ,mihd. I $' the Council getting the s*£#* lesß tho price offered I >" ■ 2$F aQt »*">«rte selling the property , t"4«i. than its worth. *• j «- * Vinson said that Mr Andrews II for the rebuilding of tho ata> J knew that the ouo purchaser 1 station woujd buy at its own i that purchaser would be the d said that if Mr, Robinson :o the building he should givo rescind the motion already He criticised the underwritJsentatlves for going to the binson: Messrs Ford and Ann + ? en £ d on the Bub Ject at the City Council. My first w wply to criticisto of uT" Companies Charged. 1- said that the fire insurance were up against the new S"? : \ wiah t0 6 *P res * a gainst the unconstitutional i which tho Underwriters' n has approached the City id other bodies. For hitting .belt thoy take tho cake. S w n . : It tbiß a P e »" aon al atAat? There has been a i ot J ,!?£. tbM 7 0u '*& he "hitting below the belt,'' QfJt Mayor. ■*]*t» poll were to be taken *«fesen to one would be in to» new station. <> If the I Sot been unanimously i n the new building, he asked, the committee interviewed 'ouncil aoout selling the old i»?on; Tho Board was cerunanimous. I don't care HE* Bay - Th *y A °»'t innan said that the insur* amea were more anxious to ey than to consider thoemployees. «won: That's all bosh! wd should live in bouses as lose of Board members. Ho ho Board had developed into one made up of insurance and the other of Cover* Council representatives. Ud at two meetings there had l-feoline, and Ue hoped that all members would pull tothe good of the City. mn said that hi P objections gainst a new building, but method of getting oie. Tftryiug ffom £7595 t, e. received for the buUdinjr utects advised that their Ai 6730 might be reduced by t-iwiu aerations, iiiiaii cinsiaered that about :h of reductions could. be

HBm9|ffd at foot of next columa.)

carried out and that the tender could be reduced to £5904. Tender Accepted. Mr Ford moved that tho tender of J. Hamnictt and Sons should bo accepted, provided that jt met with the architect's approval and subject to the alterations. Mr J. R. Cameron said that he thought the Firo Board h.n'l decided to accept a tender provided i. at tho City Council would allow it to use the baianco from the sale of the old property for the now building. The Council's assent had not been received. Mr Ford's motion was carried, and it was decided to discuss the financial aspect at the next meeting.