Styx-Sockburn rail meeting

Press, 25 July 1985, Page 5

Styx-Sockburn rail meeting

A public meeting will be held tomorrow to discuss the abandonment of the designated Styx-Sockburn railway line, Cr David Shipley told a meeting of the Paparua County Rural District Council yesterday. The meeting will be held at the Russley School hall at 8 p.m. It will be chaired by the Labour member of Parliament, Mrs Margaret Austin. Plans to move the railway line were halted earlier this year when the Railways Corporation indicated it wanted to drop the idea. Cr Shipley said he would attend the meeting, and encourage other members to do so. There would be a "heavy delegation” from the Waimairi District Council, he said. The Waimairi District Council has previously expressed its support for the plan. New fire engine Need for a new fire

tender and tanker for the West Melton volunteer firefighting unit is to be the subject of a report to be made by the council’s deputy engineer — in conjunction with the brigade's fire chief, Mr Murray Ramsay. The unit had previously asked the council to consider helping to replace its present engine, which was in a “bad state,” said Mr Ramsay, after being invited to address the council yesterday. A new engine would cost about $160,000, said the district engineer, Mr Brian Green. "Apparently there is not much chance of getting one from the Fire Service in Christchurch as they (the engines) are usually 'at the ‘end of the day’ by the time they are moved out to the rural areas,” he said. The West Melton unit suggested three options for the council’s consideration.

They were full replacement; buying a smoke chaser with a water-carrying capacity of 500 litres, including pump and roll facilities; or the complete rebuilding of the present engine. The unit would only be likely to receive Government funding if it became a member of the Fire Service, said Mr Ramsay. “To become a member would require the upgrading of our present appliance anyway," he said. It could also mean the unit would suffer from a loss of volunteers, because as members of the Fire Service the unit would be allowed only ten members. "The training programme is also verv rigid." said Mr Ramsay.“We have a high number of volunteers turning out at the moment, but many would not be interested in attending the number of training sessions that would be required.” As members of Fire

Service, they would be required to attend at least 26 practices a year, he said. The only other possible source of funding was from the Conservator of Forests, said Mr Ramsay. Another of the unit’s concerns was that it have a dual cab appliance to be able to carry six volunteers. At present some volunteers had to take their own cars to fires as there was not enough room in the cab for all of them, said Mr Ramsay. A running board on the appliance had been used to carry some volunteers but this was unsatisfactory for carrying people long distances. said Mr Ramsay. "Somet'imes we have to go well out of our own district It's a pretty cold ride out to Charing Cross on the running board at 4.30 a m., as happened in one case.” he said. Cr Rupert Pearce asked that an indication of the

area covered by the unit be included in the report. Cr Baker said it was a lot of money to part with overnight. "Our problems are all dollars and cents," he said. Taitapu Hall The Taitapu Hall committee would receive a grant of about $l3OO to help it finance two planned maintenance projects, the council decided. The projects include the sanding and coating of the hall and kitchen floor. The grant will be allocated on a two-for-one subsidy basis subject to a limit of about $2OOO. Taitapu Library The Taitapu Library will have its three-yearly grant of $2OO renewed this year for another term. The library was a wonderful asset to Taitapu, said Cr Baker. “It’s right and proper that we should keep the grant going," he said.