RESIDENTS WILL HAVE CHANCE TO OBJECT.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17915, 3 August 1926, Page 14

RESIDENTS WILL HAVE CHANCE TO OBJECT.

CONSTRUCTION OF PETROL TANK AT SYDENHAM. Sydenham may or may not have a bulk petrol tank; but residents will at least have an opportunity to object. The Vacuum Oil Pty., Ltd., recently applied to the City Council for permission to instal on property situated at the corner of Hazel dean and Park Roads, Sydenham, underground tanks capable of holding 80,000 gallons of petrol. At last night's meeting of the council the By-laws Committee recommended that the application be granted and that the Chief City Inspector be instructed to see that ever} - precaution was taken in the interests of public safety, and that the regulations controlling the storage of dangerous goods were strictly complied with in connection with the installation of the tanks. After a discussion it was decided, on an amendment moved by the Mayor (Mr J. K. Archer» to hold the matter over for a fortnight. The Mayor said that this would give the residents of the locality a chance to object if they so desired. Councillor F. R. Cooke said he was not thoroughly satisfied about the matter. He did not know much about explosives. lie would like the council to be satisfied that there was no danger in storing the petrol, even below the ground. Councillor W. E. Lead ley asked if other companies made similar applications would they be granted the same concessions? VERY UNCOMFORTABLE FEELING. The Mayor (Mp- J. K. Archer) said that heffiad a very uncomfortable feeling about the adoption of the resolution. He considered that it was a very serious thing to put a tank with a capacity of 80.000 gallons of petrol within the city boundary. lie thought it was high time that the council set up an area into which all these sort ot things must go. He could not persuade himself that there was no danger attached to them. There had been a very suggestive case at Ashburton recently, when a motor-car was being filled at one of these tanks and a cer- ' tain amount of petrol ov< rflowed and , went down the gutter. The result was : a fire in the public street a chain long. Of course, it was a comparatively small fire, but the amount of petrol that escaped was small. He did not think that it made the slightest difference if the petrol was stored undergrcuhd. There was no reason why an accident should not occur one day and the whole tank become a blaze of fire. There was a grave moral responsibility on the council, who should tell these people once for all that these stores must be outside the city. Before granting permission for a store to be established the council had to be satisfied that the locality was a suitable one. No report of an inspector would exonerate the council from blame in case of an accident. An" inspector judged on technical grounds. The council judged (tfi higher grounds, the welfare of the whole city. Personally, he felt very uncomfortable about the whole matter. NOT TIIE SLIGHTEST RISK. Councillor C. P. Agar, chairman of the By-laws Committee, said he could give the council an assurance that there was not the slightest risk attached to the proposal. The tank was not to be established for the sale of petrol, but for the storage of petrol. There was no chance of any petrol escaping or any risk of fire. The Government had laid down certain regulations with regard to petrol stores, and the council’s inspector had been instructed to see that all these regulations were carried out. There was no risk attached to these tanks, and if other companies made similar applications he was sure that the By-laws Committee would recommend that they be granted. WHAT ABOUT EARTHQUAKES? In reply to a question, Councillor Agar said that there was no risk of explosion. Councillor W. J. Sim: What about earthquakes ? Councillor Agar said he thought that the tank would stand an earthquake. Councillor Sim said that in America the risk of earthquake was regarded as a serious one. The Mayor said that it was impossible to eliminate the human element. The petrol had to be put into these tanks and men smoked in all sorts of places. The matter was really such a serious one that it should be held up for a month to give the residents of the neighbourhood a chance of objecting. Councillor D. G. Sullivan, M.P., suggested that the matter should be held up so that a report could be obtained from the officer in charge of the Government Explosives Department. The council would then have done its duty to ensure that everything was all right. Councillor Agar said that the construction of the tank would be carried out under the supervision of Government officials. MAYOR’S AMENDMENT. The Mayor moved as an amendment to the adoption of the report that the report should lie on the table for a fortnight to give the residents a chance of objecting if they so desired. Councillor Agar said that, the committee had given the matter very serious consideration. He could give the council an assurance that there was no possible risk or danger. It was so safe that he would not mind having such a tank alongside, his house. It would be safer than a house, which might catch fire. Councillor C. T. Aschman said he would not like such a tank near his house. Councillor Agar was an expert on many things, but he was not an expert on explosives, and he thought the council should have some better opinion before finally deciding on the matter. Councillor A. M’Kellar said that the Government had laid down certain re- | gulations regarding petrol stores. As long as the council saw that these regulations were complied with that was all that was required. The Mayor said that that was not all that was required. The Government threw on the coucil the responsibility to decide whether the locality was suitable. That was the point, and the only point. Councillor Agar said that he would be willing to make the granting of the permission subject to the assurance of the Government inspector that there was no risk of fire or explosion. The Mayor; And subject to the residents not objecting; that is more important to me than any inspector’s report. , The amendment' was carried by 9 votes to 8, the division being:—Ayes, | the Mayor and Councillors Leadley, I Aschman. Ford, Cooke, Butterfield, Carr, M’Combs and Sullivan. Noes, Councillors Agar, M’Kellar, Andrews, Anderson, Beaven, Carey, Du Feu apd