The Hawera Star. THURSDAY. MARCH 31, 1927. FIRE PROTECTION IN COUNTY AREA.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 31 March 1927, Page 4

The Hawera Star.

THURSDAY. MARCH 31, 1927. FIRE PROTECTION IN COUNTY AREA.

Delivered every evening by 5 o clock in Hawtra, Manaia, Normanby, Okaiawa. Eltliam. Uaneatoki, Kaponga. Alten. Hurley ville. Patea, Waverley, Mokoia. Whakamara. Ohangai. Meremere, Fraser Itoad and Ararata

The subject of fire protection for that residential portion of Hawera which is beyond the confines of the Borough is not a new one, it having been before both the .Fire Board and the County Council on numerous occasions, but new interest has been given to the question bv the fire which occurred this week in a dwelling which, though situated only a few minutes’ walk from the Post Office, is yet outside the Borough’s and the Board’s boundaries. Reports of discussions which have taken place between the County Council and the Board and the letters which have appeared in recent issues of "The Star” over the signatures of Mr Bone, chairman of the Board, and Mr Harding, county clerk, have made it clear that, though both bodies would be glad to see this residential area amply protected against fire, a deadlock has arisen •as to the means which should be adopted to attain the desired end. The Board has stated that it will extend its services to cover the county area, in which there are approximately 180 residences in close proximity to the centre of the town, if the county will subsidise its funds to the extent of £75 per annum. This seems, at first glance, to be a reasonable proposition, for a contribution of £75 per annum is not an excessive payment for the services of an up-to-date brigade; but, on the other hand, the county objects, with justification, that it has no right to spend money, received through a rate imposed upon the whole of the county, upon protection of the interests of one small section of its ratepayers. Mr Bone, in his first letter, asks us if we "can imagine any local body so blind to the interests of a large body of its ratepayers, who collectively pay a large amount in rates, as to refuse the amount asked for to guarantee these ratepayers adequate fire protection,” but in fairness to the county council we would remind the Board and those residents in the area referred to who are dissatisfied with the existing state of affairs, that the county has shown, by refusing to fall in with the suggestion that it should grant a subsidy out of the funds of tin* whole county, or even out of the funds of the Hawera riding, that it is very much alive to the interests of the whole of its ratepayers. The risk of lire makes everybody fearful, and it is not remarkable that those who, though residing within a few minutes of the tire brigade station, know that they have no claim to its services other than the claims of humanity, should lose sight of the larger issues at stake, but a moment’s reflection should convince anyone who is not entirely selfish in his views that there is no valid reason why the small farmer living miles away from the town should be called upon to contribute to the cost of protection | from lire of a few of his more favoured fellow-ratepayers who have the good fortune to live within calling distance of the brigade. Mr Harding, in his letter, in which he explains the reasons for the county’s attitude, makes a strong point when he mentions that the 3 80 houses within the area represent only 12 per cent, of the properties within the 390 square miles of the county’s district, but lie, too, shows a lack of appreciation of the Board’s difficulties, even as the Board fails to appreciate the County’s, for he states that Mr Bone "does not show us how his considerable risk would be. lessened by the receipt of a voluntary contribution to the Fire Board’s funds from the County Council.” Mr Bone lias not replied to that point in the letter which he has forwarded for publication to-day, but in justice to the Board and as information to any ratepayers who similarly fail to understand the Board’s position, it be stated that the Board has a good and sufficient reason for asking for that subsidy, apart altogether from any consideration of the fairness or otherwise of giving the services of the brigade for which the borough pays to the residents of the county: the payment, of the subsidy would allow the Board to bring the county’s residential area within the fire district and the indemnity which covers the Board against accident to members of: the brigade, to the appliances, or against possible loss and damage suffered by a resident or residents in the event of the brigade finding it necessary to demolish buildings in order tint a lire may not spread, would be as effective in that area as it is now in the cxisling fire hoard district. Mr Harding, in his loiter to us, wrote, not in his official capacity of county clerk, but ns one who, having a knowledge of Ihe subject from the council’s point of view, had something to contribute to I lie discussion, and his contribution is valuable from that aspect alone, but it is reasonable to assume that, there.are members of the county council who believe, as lie believes, that, the Board "may possibly get a greater subsidy from the county if they were to approach the property owners and make a direct, contract with them. . . .” We believe with him that there is necessity for united action on the part of the property owners to overcome the

difficulty, but we do not agree that it is the Board’s duty to make those overtures. The Board is not “looking for business’’ and can get along quite comfortably without tho County’s £75 per annum and still do all that is required of it, but it is desirous of placing the protection of the county’s residential district upon a proper businesslike footing, instead of being placed in the position it fg in at present of being torn between its strict duty as a body whose powers are strictly limited by statute and its compassion as a group of individuals. The County has no power to strike a special rate over this area, and it; refuses, for reasons already stated, to contribute the. subsidy out of its general fund; there is thus left only one way for the residents in the area under discussion to obtain protection, and that is by doing something to help themselves. Whether they consider it good business to pay a few shillings a year for the right to call upon a wellequipped brigade to protect their properties in the event of an outbreak of lire we do not know, but we realise that organisation would be necessary to carry any such voluntary scheme into effect, and we believe that the •body to undertake such organisation in the interests of the ratepayers’ lives and property is the County Council, rather than the Fire Board.