MASTERTON FIRE BOARD.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume LVIII, Issue 9069, 15 May 1908, Page 6

MASTERTON FIRE BOARD.

VARIOUS MATTERS DEALT WITH. NEW FIRE BRIGADE STATION FOR MASTERTON. NOTHING DEFINITE DECIDED UPON. A meetiug of the Mastertou Fire Board was held iv the Borough Council Chambers last evening. Mr O. Praguell, Government representative, occupied the chair, and there wore also present—Messrs J. J. J. Mallard, X M. Simpson, E. W. Ewen (Insurance companies' representatives), and J. O. Ewington, W. Morris and J. H. Pauling, (representing the Borough Council). On the motion of the chairman, it was decided to instruct the secretary to draft a set of by-laws for submission at the next meeting of the Board. A letter was received from the Palmerstou North Fire Board stating that the Board proposed to form a deputation to wait upon the Minister to urge several amendments of the Fire Brigades Act, more particularly in the direction of inserting a clause to enable local bodies to make special grants to enable tho Board to carry out their various fnuctions, such as the erection of new lire stations, equipping brigades, etc. The Masterton Board was asked to co-operato with the movement, aud appoint a representative to attend the deputation which would approach the Minister as early as possible The chairman aud secretary were appointed to attend the deputation aud auy other member that could make it couveuieut, was invited to be present. With regard to the installation of electric fire alarms iv the Borough a letter was received from the Borough Council stating that they had been unable to come to terms with the successful tenderer for the work, under which lie would commence the contract. It was resolved to write to the Borough Couucil asking them to raise the amount on the loan schedule for the installation of electric lire alarms (£200), and allow the Board to iustal the service, the Board to repay the money by instalments. If permission were given, the local members were appointed a committee to carry out the "work after conferring with Superintendent Hugo, Inspector of Fire Brigades as to the best service. Consideration was then given to the proposal to erect a new fire brigade station aud acquire the necessary laud for so doing. The offer from the Trust Lands Trust to give a lease of a Trust section in Chapel-street and erect a new station thereon at an annual rental of 5 per cent on the ground value and 8 per cent on the value of the buildings erected, or to cancel the existing lease of the present fire brigade station site and substitute a 21 years' lease with a compensatoin clause was read, as was a letter from Dr Butemeut, offering to sell to the Board ■ hi? section iv Hall-street, opposite the Drill Hall, with a frontage of 0(5 feet, aud the buildings thereon, for £1000 cash. During the discussion that ensued it was evident that the members were inclined to view more favourably the freehold sectiou, but the difficulty of financing the straight-out purchase arose. A scheme was advanced for borrowing the money from a private persou and the local members were appointed a committee to interview the gentleman referred to and report to a future meeting. In the meantime it was decided to ask both parties to allow their offers to remain open for the present. The valuation of the present fire brigade buildings aud plant (£502 8s 6d). as agreed upon by Messrs A. Hathaway had T. Wagg, valuers for the Borough Council and Board respectively, was passed. A resolution was carried deciding to establish a Fire Police Salvage Corps under the Board. A dratt seal, as submitted by the secretary, was approved of as the common seal of the Board.

It was decided that no portion of tiie Fire Brigade's plant be let out for hire.