FIRE BOARD!?.

Otago Witness, Issue 2845, 23 September 1908, Page 3

FIRE BOARD!?.

AN AMENDING BILL. (Fkom Our Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, September 17. . The Fire Brigades Act Amendment Bill, which has been introduced by the Hon. Dr I'indlay, provides that a proposal by a local authority to apply for dissolution of & fire board must be submitted to a poll of the ratepayers. This is already required when a new fire board is proposed to be created. It is further provided in the bill that in either of these cases the- proposal shall not be deemed to be carried unless at least one-third of the ratepayers have validly exercised their votes. Section 4 gives a fire board power to take land under the Public Works Act for a fire brigade station. Section 6 repeals existing borrowing powers, and provides that^a board requiring money for acquiring lanoV, erecting or improving buildings, purchasing plant, or paying off loans may raise a loan, whether on a bank overdraft or by the issue of debentures, or in such other manner as the board thinks fit. The total amount borrowed, and for the time being remaining unpaid, must not at any time exceed £0000, except in the case of a loan issued for the purpose of paying off a previous loan. It is made they duty of every fire board to give assistance when required to the Inspector of Fire Brigades, and to place the brigade temporarily under his control when so requested by him. The inspector is empowered to call out any fire brigade on an alarm of fire when and where he thinks fit in order to test its efficiency.