Mayor promises to reduce fire risk

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33654, 2 October 1974, Page 18

Mayor promises to reduce fire risk

An undertaking was given by the Mayor (Mr N. G. Pickering) at an election meeting in Redcliffs last evening that the Christchurch City Council would remove grass and scrub that residents had cleared from their properties to reduce the risk of fire in summer.

Mr Pickering made his promise after hearing residents express concern about the possibility of another large fire on Clifton Hill. Some said that even when they cleared their sections of material likely to be a fire hazard, they had no way of getting rid of it. One speaker said that, after the Clifton fire the council had sent trucks to collect flammable rubbish, but some residents abused the service and put out stuff that had accumulated over the years. Clifton fire Mr Pickering said that those who did not live on the hills were fully aware of hillside residents’ concern for the safety of their lives and property. No-one wanted to see a repetition of the Clifton fire. He said that if residents were prepared to act through

a residents’ association and organise themselves, the council would clear the rubbish if it was gathered into a few collecting points and only a reasonable area was done at a time.

He was sure that, whatever council was returned, the service would be provided, but there might be some charge — perhaps, 50c a household. “I don’t think any council can be fairer than that,” said Mr Pickering.. Court He said that the law requiring property-owners to clear their properties if they constituted a fire hazard was so elastic that the council had great difficulty in bringing court actions; and when they did reach court, there were so many means of delaying action that the period of danger from fire was reached with nothing done. Mr Pickering said that he had had a discussion with the Minister of Internal Affairs (Mr May) in an effort to get tighter legislation on the matter. Mr A. E. Ansell, Citizens’ candidate for the East Ward, said that if elected he would

press hard for legislation that would require absentee landlords to clear their land in 14 days. If it was not done, the council would do it and send the owner the bill. Old ways Mr L. F. Taylor, Values Party candidate for the East ward, said that he was a local resident who knew the local problems. He said that the Values Party did not fit into any existing political pigeonholes. The traditional ideologies were developed 40 years ago, and were no longer relevant today. The Values Party policies were aimed at solving today’s and tomorrow’s problems. Another Values Party candidate for the East ward, and also the Christchurch Drainage Board (Mr A. Lea) said he was in favour of community councils being set up that would be more than sounding boards for the people; he wanted representatives from local councils to attend so that people could “really hammer them” if necessary. Mr J. G. Power, a Labour candidate for the East ward, said that as the Mayor’s secretary, he had learnt a lot about local body affairs. He thought that a Labour council deserved to be returned on the strength of its deeds in the last three years. Planning Mr J. Davidson (Labour, East ward and Drainage Board) said that one of his main concerns was the planned development of the hills of Christchurch. Mr R. J. Todd (Labour) said that people should receive social justice. He was a firm believer in the benefits of local knowledge. A number of other can-di-dates for ad hoc bodies spoke briefly or were introduced to the audience of about 45 ' persons.