FIRE BOARD SPENDING

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31343, 13 April 1967, Page 14

FIRE BOARD SPENDING

Appeal For Economies Urban fire authorities are urged by the Minister of Internal Affairs (Mr Sea th) to postpone replacement of equipment, hold stocks to a minimum, postpone letting of contracts for new work, defer allocations to depredation and maintenance reserves, and review several charges. The New Zealand Fire Service Council, in a letter tabled at the Christchurch Fire Board’s meeting last evening, recommended that in preparing estimates, all urban fire authorities follow the guide given by Mr Seath. Mr Seath sought the council’s cooperation in exercising the strictest economy in view of the “exigencies of the present situation.” Board members expressed concern about the replacement of the Sydenham Fire Station. The Fire Service Council had approved this in principle. The board had an option to buy land, but this might have to be deferred because of the suggested economies, it was said. The chairman (Mr W. R. Campbell) said that until the southern motorway route was fixed, the board could not buy any land. The site of a new Sydenham station fringed on the route.