MUNICIPAL ENTERPRISE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17317, 17 May 1918, Page 8

MUNICIPAL ENTERPRISE

. gas service and FIRE PRO- | TECTION. i CONSIDERED AT PORT CHALMERS. About 60 men attended a public meeting ut ' Port Chalmers last evening to consider tho proposals to purchase tho worics of tho Port Chalmers Gas Company, whicli is in liquidation, and to establish a Eire Board. Tlie Mayor (Mr J. Ta.it) presided. Mr Tait raid the object was to supply those present with any information they wanted, so that they would be ablo to vote intelligently when the poll was taken. Speaki mg ot the proposal to purchase the property of the Port Chalmers Gas Company, he stated that tho council did not consider it was a proposition which they should rush after, or for which they should pay a fancy price; but they recognised that gas was a necessity for any up-to-dato town. J. he law required that before proceeding with such a project the authority of the ratepayers bad to bo obtained. If it was , obtained it did not follow that tho council : would purchase the works, but they would ; understand that they had authority to do so if they considered it. wise. Tho oouncil did not tliink it would be a paying concern for some time. Expert advice had shown that it would involve considerable expense and the project would havo to be pushed ■ energy to make it a success. It ' would not be entered upon as a divid-end- ■ oarning business, and the oouncil would . bo quito satisfied if the ratepayers got a convenient self-supporting gas service. No alarm need bo taken at tho provision of a special rate to guarantee tho loan, as the > council had four or fivo loans, and in no case had there been the slightest necessity | to oonsider calling on the ratepayers. " As tiierc were no questions, tho Mayor i asked Cr Lunn to explain the Fire Board proposition. ' . Cr Lunn said his interest had been aroused ' tne matter through a speech made by the Minister of Internal Affairs some years ago at. the annual Fire Brigade Conference at Balclutha. When he brought the matter > before the council, it confirmed tho principle of establishing a Fire Board, and re- • ferred it to a committee, which 'gathered I P* or^ na ''°n on the subject from all over the dominion For tho last 17 or 18 years ; £1® P rc£ *?' brigade had cost the council ? 1 LV°, ?° , a year - a Fire Board was established three members would represent i tho council, three the insurance companies, s and ono the Government; and if tho annual ■ cost were £185 the council and insurance I companies would each contribute £80 and 1 the Government £25. It was evident, therefore, that if the board carried on with tho present antiquated appliances the cast would l be less than it was at present. The only extra cost would be £5 for a secretary. Ihe board would take over tho present ■ plant and pay rent for tho use of tho ■ station, which would further reduce the cost to the council. If it was desired fo pro--5 t^ r %r/vi' n u? r / 2n S 1 J le costing from £1500 ) to £2003—the board would havo power to ■ MI'J'OW. Tho ratepayers should not havo I? u r , the msuranco companies' share of > the burden as well as their own.—(" Hear F I' 6 ? r 'm • h f y an efficient brigade, but ?° appliances. Cr Lunn then read I nifef ™ n j Ham,lton . as a sample of efficT™ recen ; e . d > tartifying to the increased : tlfe r^rr, 51 " 00 tho forlna tion of wh« <?i J [ lero wci : g mal) y present r? u u the Petition for a poll, I —(Applause!) 7 W ° U ' d VQte ' H ,^ n , ro ? ly ,'° Questions, Cr Lunn said that the bugade would still be composed of InrF+ho"?' f ° nCrariy , the superintendent ' deputy received a small annual fee, , m « n w€r ° id 2s or 3s while engaged at fires. The estimates had to ref ceivo Government approval. 3 . on e gentleman complained that there was 3 insufficient water pressure at the end of ; 'he Peninsula.—The Mayor stated he had I been unaware that that was so. He honed » the system would be extended to Carey's Bay and Mansford Town in time. . Another called attention to tho fact that the four other members could forco the motor purchase on tho council's representatives, when the rates would have to be raised. > The Mayor said ho did not think this 3 would eventuate, as it would bo to the- inj tcrest of the insurance representatives to keep down the expenditure. In reply to Mr John Mill, who spoke dej precatine increased expenditure, the Mayor stated that the council had voted in favour j of a proposal by a large majority. Cr Lunn: Ono dissenter. . Mr Mill asked tho chairman to read tho Act providing for the establishment of firo boards, but Mr lait said there wero eight or . nino pages of it, and they would probably p bo no wiser for the reading of it. The j council had received a petition signed by about 140 ratepayers asking for a'poll, and . it had therefore no option but to grant it. j If response to a request for ix speech ) from the " dissenting councillor," Mr D. M. Mawson said he had dissented, not because i objected to tho proposal, but because he S wanted a detailed statement of the cost. } lie was just as inystilied as ever in that . respect.—(Applause.) > Cr Williamson said Mr Mill, as an insurance director, had been harping about in- > creased expenditure, the amount of which . be settled, by the Fire Board, with the Government's approval. During the last live years the cost of tho present brigade had been over £100. Mr Mill had told him that ono insurance conmany had paid a dividend of 25 per cent. Mr Mill said Cr Williamson was mistaken in thinking that ho had made such a statement. Very fow insurance companies hau ever paid such an amount, lie intended to vote for the establishment of a fire board— ("Hear, hear"),—and he trusted to the council not to launch out on expensive schemes like a motor engine, with its necesi sity for a permanent attendant. i vote of thanks to the chair terminated r the meeting.