FIRE PREVENTION

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 17950, 30 November 1932, Page 7

FIRE PREVENTION

REVISION OF DISTRICTS POWER FOR AMALGAMATIONS MEASURE BEFORE HOUSE ' (Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, this day. Provision for the establishment of united fire districts is made in the Fire Brigades Amendment Bill, introduced in the House last night, and read a first time. There arc also several other amendments affecting tlie control of fire brigades. United lire districts are lo be brought about bv the amalgamation of two or more local areas, and will be constituted by Ordcr-iu-Council on an application by the several districts concerned after a poll of ratepayers has been taken. A fire board of a united district shall consist of one member to he appointed by the Governor-General, not fewer than two and not more than four representatives of the local authorities concerned, and an equal number of representatives of insurance companies carrying on business in the district. The united fire districts in which arc included the cities of Wellington. Christchurch, and Dunedin, are to receive annually not more than £4OO from the consolidated fund. All the assets and liabilities of existing lire boards are to lie taken over by the united fire board. The consent of the Minister of Internal Affairs must be obtained before a. poll of ratepayers is taken for the constitution of a lire district in the metropolitan areas i; any part of the district local authority is within 1.) miles of the chief'post offices at Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin. FALSE ALARMS Officers of the board in charge of moneys are to be required to give security for the sum in their charge as the board may require. Regarding the disqualification of members of fire boards, an amendment is proposed on the lines of that in the Hospitals and Charitable Institutions Amendment Bill. Under the clause, a member will not be disqualified if any contract he makes with the board does not exceed £lO, or £25 altogether in any one year. On the application of the board, however, the Audit Office may. approve, in special cases, of the making of contracts up to £SO. The previous limits were £5 for one contract, or £lO in the aggregate in anyone year.

Commencing from next year, the date for the biennial elections of lire boards is altered from February to May, and the date of the annual meeting from March to April. The bill proposes, in another clause, that in addition to a tiro board contracting with contiguous local authorities for fire protection purposes, the owner' of a property outside a fire district may make an agreement with the fire board for a similar purpose. It is proposed to empower fire boards to offer rewards up to £5 for the conviction of persons giving false alarms. Special provision is made for the establishment of a metroplitan fire district in Auckland.