FIRE BOARD FOR CITY

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12355, 27 January 1926, Page 7

FIRE BOARD FOR CITY

IMPORTANT PROPOSAL TO COME BEFORE CITY COUNCIL NO INCREASE IN RATES v MAYOR BELIEVES CHANGE WILL PROVE BENEFICIAL Proposal* to establish a fire board in Wellington have been mooted before, but at a special meeting of the City Council a motion will be tabled to bring about such a change in the administration of the fire brigade, and, if carried, a poll of ratepayers will be taken at an early date to sane tion the proposal.

The question of establishing a fire board in Wellington in place of the present administration will be considered at a special meeting of the Wellington City Council to-morrow afternoon. How much recent events have contributed to this proposal being brought forward is a matter of conjecture, but it is believed that there as every prospect of the suggestion being adopted. If the necessary resolution is carried by the council it will be necessary to take a poll of the ratepayers to obtain their consent to this administrative change. Should this important change be made it will mean that the cost of maintenance and upkeep will be borne by the underwriters and the City, Council. Half of the members of the board would be nominated by the City Council and half by the underwriters, with an additional member nominated by •nd representing the Government. A contribution of £2OO a year would be paid by the Government in recognition of the fact that a number of valuable departmental properties are in the city area, and would come under the care of the Fire Board. HEAVY EXPENSE Yesterday the Mayor, Mr C. J. B. Norwood, speaking on the subject, said the City Council was now to have the opportunity of considering and deciding whether or not the time was opportune for the establishment of a fire board in Wellington. The advantages and reasons for such a movement were obvious. At present the council maintained out of rates the entire cost of maintenance and upkeep of the fire brigade, which for the year 1924-25 was £15.578, which was £3500 higher than »n the preceding year, and over £SOOO higher than in 1920.

“Wellington is the one isolated city in Australia or New Zealand of any size that shoulders the whole of the cost. If the proposal is carried, under the new conditions the whole of the property of the fire brigade will rotuain public property on transfer to the fire board, on which the council would have equal representation. The equipment and appliances would be vested iu the hoard, in return for which the City Council would receive 26 annual payments in the proportion of 5 per cent, on the value of the property handed over. “It may be thought,” said the Mayor, “that a fire board will be more cheeseparing than the City Council, but having personally looked into the operations and administration of fire' boards in the principal centres of New Zealand, I cannot find that such is the case. On the contrary, even a city of the dimensions of Wanganui has district stations, and it is obvious that the underwriters will try in their own interests to have a brigade thoroughly up-to-date, and equipped in a manner which will enable it to meet any cal! which may he made upon it. NO INCREASE IN RATES “The records of the council show that we have an obligation to bring into existence at least two district subsidiary stations. The council is naturally anxious to maintain the rates as low as possible, and the difference may just mean living within our income next year without raising the rates. I feel certain that in regard to obligations of the council concerning district stations there is no reason to think that the fire board would not be desirous of making full provision, and that automatically, where necessary, such suggestions will b* ; acted upon.”