FIRE BRIGADES

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVI, Issue 11, 13 July 1943, Page 4

FIRE BRIGADES

AMALGAMATION PLAN

The ' Petone Borough Council last night had before it a communication from the Petone Fire Brigade concern- j ing a proposal to amalgamate the Petone brigade with those of Wellington and Lower Hutt. The council unanimously passed a motion "that before any favourable recommendation is made to the Government in respect to any particular amalgamation or any metropolitan proposal in respect of fire brigades the National Fire Council be requested to submit such proposals to the municipal authorities concerned." The brigade submitted the following resolution:—"That this brigade wishes to draw your attention to the amalgamation scheme between the Wellington, Lower Hutt, and Petone brigades under a metropolitan board or the amalgamation of the Petone and Lower Hutt brigades. This scheme is coming before the National Fire Council on July 7 and 8. The brigade's opinion is that we see no advantage in the amalgamation of the brigades. The existing agreement between brigades covers all emergency." ( FIRST-CLASS BRIGADE. The Deputy Mayor, Mr. H. Green, said that the Petone brigade was a firstclass volunteer one with a wonderful record and up-to-date equipment, and it was fully competent to deal with any fire risk in Petone. The brigade had full co-operation with Lower Hutt, and it was practically free of debt The proposal might saddle the ratepayers with unknown liabilities and would impair efficiency and smother local pride. The council should strongly oppose the proposal unless it would be advantageous. The Town Clerk, Mr. H. Firth, said that the National Fire Council meeting referred to in the brigade's motion had been held, but he could not divulge the proceedings. Councillor J. Huggari considered the Fire Council discourteous in not referring the matter to the Borough Council. Councillor A. G. Steffensen said that under the E.P.S. there was an agreement between Wellington, Lower Hutt, and Petone to make all fire-fighting equipment available in the event of an emergency. He thought the proposal now afoot might be a wedge towards amalgamation of Hutt and Petone. Councillor R. A. Anderson said that the efficiency of the Petone brigade would fall by amalgamation. Councillor J. Gumming saidt that there would be no harm in a metropolitan fire board if the Petone brigade , kept its own identity. It might have advantages in effecting uniformity ofj equipment, but in that'respect Petone was all right. Councillor Anderson asked where was the report written by Mr. Wilson, the English expert. On his motion, it was decided to ask the fire brigade to make an investigation into the availability of the report which Councillor Anderson -understood-was -available to members of the" firemen's Siriion. The council is to act with the Fire Board in the investigation.