CENTRAL FIRE STATION

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 33, 2 November 1929, Page 12

CENTRAL FIRE STATION

QUESTION OF SITE LONG DISCUSSION BY BOARD CITY COUNCIL’S OFFER CRITICISED No signs of settlement of the dispute between the Wellington Fire Board and the City Council regarding the site of the Central Fire Station were in evidence at a special meeting of the board yesterday morning, when members discussed the offer of the council to transfer the areas occupied by the Star Boating Club and the Wellington Rowing Club to the board in exchange for its present site. The council’s offer to all intents and purposes was rejected by the board, although it was adopted as a basis of negotiation. The following resolution, moved by Mr. Al. Alarks and seconded by Air. AL F. Luckie, was carried: “That an offer be made to the City Council for the taking over of the boatshed site offered to the board, subject to valuation, provided payments are in terms of section 46 of the Fire Brigades Act for the taking over of fire brigade properties, and subject to the architect’s and superintendent’s report being favourable to the erection of a modern up-to-date central station on the site.” Alessrs. S. S. Dean and Parton cast their votes against the resolution. Under the section mentioned in the resolution the board would pay approximately £15,000. The site offered by the council does not include the area occupied by the Free Ambulance, whereas reports by the board’s architect, and the fire brigade superintendent, both declared that it was essential for the erection of an up-to-date station. History of Negotiations. After reviewing briefly the history of the Fire Board at the outset of the meeting, Air. Alarks'related the negotiations that had commenced some time ago between the board and the City Council in connection with a new site. The insurance representatives on the board at that time were anxious to retain the site of the present central station. “They still are,” interjected the chairman (Air. N. W. Nelson). Air. Alarks said he had considered that the two bodies should be able to reach an amicable decision without the necessity of arbitration. That was about two years ago. Various letters had passed between the two bodies since then, but they seemed to be no nearer settlement. Air. Dean then moved that no.tice be given to the City Council of the board’s intention to take the present central station site for fire prevention purposes. The secretary (Air. 8. Fairchild) : That has been dtfhe. Air. Dean: AVell, we will now give notice to the council that we intend to give effect to the resolution. It was mentioned by the chairman that Afr. Alarks and himself had been deputed to ask the Afayor if the brigade could stay at the Central Station with some definite tenure. This the Afayor could not do, but he offered the board the boatsheds sit. “It seems an exorbitant price to have to pay £31,095, even for 26 years,” remarked Mr. Nelson. Afr. Alarks said the council should assist the board in whatever way possible. The council might easily have treated the board in a more generous way and allowed the board to take the site on the same terms as the Act provided when the board came into existence. There was a difference of £25,000 in the valuations of the two sites, and the council stood to benefit by that amount He suggested they accept the £31,000 valuation and pay for the boatsheds property under the terms of 'the Act. “It is not fair and not just that we who have been deprived of our greatest asset should be placed in this position,” he said. An Ideal Site. “This is an ideal site, and we as a board ought to have it,” declared Air. Dean in referring to the present Central Station property. “Under the Act we have a right to say we want it, and if the council say they want it for civic purposes then the matter goes to arbitration. This present site is certainly 100 per cent, better than the one on which the boatsheds stand.” Air. Dean said if the council desired to have the present site he thought the matter should be settled by arbitration. The chairman: The council is quite definite that it wants the site. Mr. Alarks: If the matter goes to arbitration what will be the question? Will it be •whether the council is right or wrong? The board’s legal adviser, Air. George, said it would be a matter of expediency or inexpediency. Air. Luckie: The question of its .expediency or inexpediency depends on its permanent use as a fire station. Afr. Parton: I think the argument would be in favour of the present station, it having been there some thirty years. Afr. Luckie: That has nothing to do with it. Mr. Dean; This site had undoubted advantages and it always will have. Air. Luckie said that the City Council representatives had to respect the decision of the council in such a matter. It was not a question for them to decide. He thought, should the issue be forced to arbitration, that it might be found that the council had the strongest hand. He thought it would be better to conduct negotiations for the boatsheds site on the same basis as that at which they took over the present site. “Spot for a Garden.” Air. Dean: I understand the Afayor wants this spot for a garden. Air. Luckie said that there was a daily growing demand for more and more space. He thought it wiser to negotiate than throw down the gauntlet. “We have been negotiating for two years,” retorted Air. Dean. Air. Alarks asked the superintendent (Air. Creeke) if he considered there was a better site in AVellington than the present one, and the one offered to the board. The Superintendent: I have not gone i nto it- ™ 3 -x Afr. C. D. Alorpeth: The boatsheds site is a splendid one, and there is a good get-away. . , ' . . Air. Patron: It is not a question of get-away. There is no yard. Air. Denn: Fire engines on tbe boatsheds' site would be running into moving traffic all the time when leaving the station there. "We are only beating the air, going along like this.” declared Air. N.elson, at this stage. He tho.ught that the council should treat the board equitably if they had to leave their present site. The board was being asked to pay more by being moved over to the boatsheds site than it would were it to remain in its present position. He thought the difference should be made up to the board. He thought they should ask the City Council to reconsider the matter. Centre of Fire Risk. “I take it there is nothing to stop the council from going elsewhere and getting another site altogether,” remarked Air. Alorpeth. Alembcrs: Nothing at all, and the council would have to pay half. Air. Luckie: Probably in a few years the centre of the lire risk will be on the other side of the Basin Reserve. A central station would be much better up there. Adelaide Road is a fine wide thoroughfare, and there would be a good get-awav for fire engines. Air. Alorpeth: It may be far better for us to get a site on Te Ard Flat. Air. Luckie: Yes, one up there would probably be found to be more suitable than either the central station’s present site or the rowing club’s site. The chairman then pointed out that the board was drifting away from the question for which the meeting was called to discuss. He asked were they,

to approach the council and say they wanted the present rite, and allow the matter to go to arbitration, and point out that in keeping it lor civic purposes the council was depriving the board of its assets under the Act. The opinion that the board had to legislate for 30 or 40 years was expressed by Mr. Luckie. On the boatsheds site could be placed the most up-to-date fire-fighting station in the Southern Hemisphere. The present property was growing more obsolete every day. Ample for Years to Come. The superintendent considered that the present site was undoubtedly the best in Wellington to-day, and that it would be found ample for years to come. He did not doubt that the present building could be remodelled to bring it up to requirements. .They were certainly a little cramped, and wanted another floor. Referring to the boatsheds site, he said, both sites were similar in get-away. Jervois Quay was the brigade’s main avenue, and a new fire station must be in the vicinity of the present station. He did not doubt that Wellington would be an important seaport in 30 or 40 years, and would require a fire float. Air. Dean: To protect shipping is not our function. The Superintendent: Perhaps not, but we have to look after it. A fire float was also necessary in case of earthquakes, for when the mains were damaged they could pump from the sea. Sooner or later a fire float would be required. Afr. T. C. A. Hislop: That is the advantage of the boatsheds site. I gather that as far as get-away is concerned it is as good as the present site. The Superintendent: The present rite is the better. Air. Marks said that failing to retain the present building, and, personally, he believed they would fail, the waterfront site was the best, while it would permit the erection of a new building equal to any in the world. Of course, it meant money, but the city had to pay half. It was then pointed out to the board that the council’s offer applied to the site of the Star Boating Club and the Wellington Rowing Club only, and not the site of the Free Ambulance Station. Mr. Alarks said he understood the Free Ambulance Station site had been promised to the Ambulance Board by the Afayor for the erection of a new station. The report of the board's architect was then read, and this stated that the sites of the two rowing clubs and the ambulance station should be ai Viable, the Superintendent endorsing this, and stating that it was essential. The resolution already mentioned was then carried.