FIRE PROTECTION AT WHARVES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18198, 19 March 1921, Page 6

FIRE PROTECTION AT WHARVES.

FURTHER CONFERENCE TO BE HELD. POSITION OiT HARBOUR BOARD. The question of providing adequate protediion Irom fire on the waterfront has been under consideration at various times in the past, and it was further discussed at the meeting of the Otago Harbour Board last evening. The matter was introduced by a clause in the report of the Works Committee recommending, with respect to letters from the Chamber of Commerce and the City Corporation, that the board reaffirm its former decision that it is the duty of the City CorporaiOn and the Fire Board to make adequate provision for fire protection cm the waterfront. Mr A. Cable (chairman of the committee), in moving the adoption of this recommendation, stated that some time ago Sir Raymond Dennis hod made an unflattering reference to the inadequate nature of the fire-fighting" appliances on the Dunedin waterfront, but he had not told them anything new. Che matter wag one for the City Corporation and the Fire Board to deal with, and the present position was that the main adjacent to, the wharf was so badly corroded that it would not allow the passage of any water in event of a lire. If anything tangible were put> before the board by the other parties concerned it might make some move on its own part. “What Sir Raymond Dennis has Said,” concluded Mr Cable, “was merely a little bit of ‘eye-wash,' and we have, to thank him for finding it out.” Mr H. C. Campbell seconded the motion. The Secretary then read a letter which ho had just received from the Fire Board, inviting a conference with, the ■ Harbour Board respecting the need' for better fire protection on the wharves. It was suggested that three members of the Harbour Board should meet three members of the Fire Board ins conference. Mr Moller: We have been holding these conferences for ,a long time and nothing has come of them.

Mr Cable: II anything of a tangible nature is put before us the board will do its bit, 'but it will not take action primarily. Mr J. M Donald sai|) he thought the suggestion respecting a Conference with the Fire Board was a very good one. It must be patent (o'all that there was some danger of fires wharves, and if that were so it was the duty of the board to minimise it as much as possible. He would move as an amendment that the chairman (Mr N. Galbraith), and Messrs Loudon and Cable be appointed to meet the Fire Board in conference. Mr J. S. Douglas seconded the amendment. Mr W. Wilkinson pointed out that in the past the board had refused to accept' any responsibility, and he thought that if it came to a definite agreement it might become involved in some liability. He said, “No”; the board should not accept any responsibility. The Act showed quite clearly that it was purely a matter for the City Corporation and the Fire Board, and it did not come within the province of the board at all. ' There should be some direction on this point to the delegates to the conference. Mr Moller said he took it that the delegates to the conference would report to the board before it was decided to commit themselves to anything. It was a matter for the City Corporation to lay down a larger main from the comer of Cumberland street. The board’s argument had always been that in the event of a fire at Dunedin the tug, which was fitted with firefighting appliances, could oome up from Port Chalmers in half an hour. If the board began by accepting any liability they did not know where it would end; they might perhaps have to pay for part of the .main. , ... , ~ The Chairman said that hitherto the board had taken up the attitude that it was unable to agree to what the corporation and the Fire Board had asked. Trie Fire Board might now have some new proposals to make,* and the whole matter could bo discussed when the three delegates returned to the board with their report. Mr Cable said that Mr Moller had made the position clear. The delegates would not commit the board to 1 anything until the whole thing had been discussed by the board. ~ L The amendment was then put to the meeting and carried unanimously.