MASTERTON FIRE STATION.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 566, 22 July 1909, Page 9

MASTERTON FIRE STATION.

' DIFFICULTY 'AS TO NEW SITE.

; With regard v to .the difficulty which, has site; for a. new; Fire Brigade sfation-.at Mastertonj;.Mri 0. Pragnell,.chair-maa!-'pf,'-tne Kre: Board, - waited, upon the ;Hon.i. D. ; Buddd' (Minister for Internal Affairs).- jes-, terday/:;';:: : : ■'• ? : -?t--- .----.r ■-■. -"-rr-o" ""■-.■-■'^V■ -to ?.," >, i Mr. Pragnell said that, ,of. : a .number .of sites offered, the board approved one.in Queen;. Street. Originally , : the .price '.'was ,X192Q, : but it had been , : reduced "to 'The; board had-about 'of.'.the iSOOO, required■'.to purchase the land and erect the' necessary buildings. What theboard wished was that the:site should be approved,: and sanction lont to the-raising of the balance cf; the' requisite money .on the, security of the property. The project would only', .cost. : j2lß(l per annum .'.until: ■ the • whole 'debt'was,.wiped off. 1 ;.'■ V^.. J' : - '■•'■ "■',-■ , : .. :. The; Minister, in reply, said that this waa the:fouith; time'.that the matter had been brought -under his notice. .His reason for hav>: ing. referred the matter, back to the; board vwas. to ..see 'if they could not make a; suggestion whereby the relative cost' of the site- and -■ the; building-; could be . more nearly approximated.: It had"been':found that' the natural tendency was for towns to increase .towards" the railway station. AiSectdbn in.Essei Street recommended bjr.tlie Fire Inspector .'was not out of the way, and its cost would;. , be-only as against ieiß2o which• it was desired' to give for the Queen' Street site.:. The. , inspector had-reported , that the. site, in: Essex Street was. in 60me ;re-' spects .-better, than :the\ one in Queen- : Street,; and the amount it was proposed to 6pend on the Queen-Street: site would ; buy/ the Essex Street-one' and.provide'.'the; building. . '■',;■ ■ ■'~.: Mr. Pragnell remarked, at this stage; that Mr.. Hugo had.'Baid' that: the site in Essex Street would be an ideal one if a road went through to Queen Street. There was, however, no ■.'chance.- of such a 'road ever. bein§ made;. He ! also said that,-at the annual meeting,-the insurance and - corporation representatives 'had unanimously agreed to vote, another;^≤oo:towards the-.project,-vthey having in view the | Queen , Street site. , ,"'. r , ;\ . ■' ■■'■•.:■•. ;.-'-.. ■ ■ ■: :Mr. Buddo replied'that it eeemedhardito ask him;to ignore the report: of the Fire Inspector that an equally suitable; site, could be got for half .th.e-:'cost.r.;.--.. ::■; ■•■■:.■ •;• :V-. ■■,■■■ ; -..:>... : : Mr..Pragnell::;:We deny that the. Essex Street, site ...is- as.; good; , as -the' Queen!, Stree't one.: • ■-.'•. ; -- -..-"■':;. V-/ ; :'.:>'' ■-.'■" ■'/■■■■ ■'-..•'■■..■: ■' ■ Mr. Buddo- Is your board unanimous on that point?- \:i-r-\ ;:,- : ;~:-' ■' '"•■■■■ .•'.: -..r-.:. ,-:." : : -~ :•■;-' Mr..Pragnell:.Yes.,, .; .."' : .. .':■■■' : ■', -. . : '. : .Mr. Buddo,: in•,conclusion, said- , 'that ne would have another'report drawn up by the inspector.. He was still convinced it was. a costly.method to put two-thirds of: the outlay: into a site. Possibly, however, there might beconditionsiwhich required , , that the: matter should be looked into again: The matter would: be finally .settled..-.within." the next fortnight.. , :