DEVONPOET LOAN POLL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVII, Issue 17631, 18 November 1920, Page 8

DEVONPOET LOAN POLL.

FIRE STATION PROPOSAL.

BRIGADE URGES RESUBMISSION.

The position arising from the recent rejection by the ratepayers of the Devonport loan proposals was discussed by the Borough Council last evening. Dissatisfaction -with the result of the poll regarding the proposed loan of £8000 for the erection of a fire station and for the purchase of additional equipment was expressed by a deputation from the Devonport Fire Brigade. Superintendent Follas, on behalf of the brigade, stated that the appliances were not sufficient to cope jrith a serious fire. The motor-hose reel was far from being satisfactory, and on a recent call it took four minutes to start it. It was not capable of carrying sufficient hose. Tile brigade felt that in existing circumstances they could not properly carry out their duties, and asked that the loan proposal be again submitted to the ratepayers. The Mayor "assured the deputation that the council desired to see the brigade efficiently equipped. Time did not now permit pf the item being included in the loading loan. After the deputation had retired, Mr. 1. J. Fletcher, chairman of the Fire Brigade Committee, somewhat heatedly accused . tho council of having at its last meeting " rejected " its own proposal, his motion that the. fire brigade loan should be combined with that of the roads, having been defeated. He again moved that the loan proposals should be combined and that the poll should be postponed until early in the New Year. Mr. T. Palmer seconded. The Mayor stated that from a financial point of view it would be very unwise to defer the taking of the reading loan poll. The motion having been defeated on the casting vote of the Mayor, it was decided on the motion of Mr. G. Y. Pearce, that the Fire Brigade Committee report as to the brigade's equipment -with a view to bringing it up to a state of efficiency. In connection, with the proposed loan of £120,000 for roading purposes, the poll for which is to be taken on December 8, the Mayor, Mr. H. S. W. King, reported that when in Wellington last week he was assured by Mr. Massey, as Minister for Finance, that in the event of the proposal being carried he would assist the council to obtain a sufficient instalment to commence operations. , ' On the suggestion of the Devonport Good Roads Campaign Committee, it was decided that there be a polling place in Auckland and one to -serve tie Cheltenham Vanxh all district.