New Fire Station Opened

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31128, 3 August 1966, Page 18

New Fire Station Opened

“This goes greatly to the credit of the board and shows prudence and good management,” said Mr Perryman.

He said the new station illustrated the board’s active and progressive policy.

The board’s district now included more than 250,000 persons and property with a capital value of more than £200,000,000. This gave some conception of the board’s task and responsibility. On those

figures it was the second big-; gest fire authority in New Zealand.

Mr W. R. Campbell, chairman of the board, said the new £27,000 station brought the value of the eight new stations erected since 1956 to £374,000. “The decision to erect the Harewood fire station on this site was taken after giving full consideration to a plan of coverage from our various stations and after discussions with the Waimairi County Council on its plans for the development of the area,” said Mr Campbell. “It was not built specially to give protection to Christchurch Airport but the airport was taken into account in deciding on the site." Mr L. R. Osmond, the board’s chief fire officer, said the working and living conditions provided at the new station were equal to those of any other station in New Zealand. Mr O. C. Mitchell, chairman

;of the Waimairi County Council, thanked the board for providing the new station and

said his council would be completely satisfied when the board provided similar service to the northern part of the county. He said the Harewood station was dose to housing val-

ued at millions of pounds and would later be in the centre of an industrial area. It had a substantial volume of property to protect.

The photograph shows the opening ceremony. The speaker is Mr Campbell.