BOOKS AND FIRES

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 136, 5 December 1929, Page 10

BOOKS AND FIRES

LIBRARY AND STATION

"BATTLE OF THE SITES"

CIVIC CENTRE SCHEME

The "battle of the sites," the argument over the Central Kre Brigade site and the Central Library site, has latterly languished somewhat as far ai City Council discussions have been concerned, but the skirmishing has been continued, and this evening, it is understood, more will be heard of it. Very briefly, the position is that the City' Council, by the adoption of the general" ideas of the civic centre idea, has declared that it wants the land on which the Central Fire Station stands, and the Fire Board has declared, with quite equal emphasis, that it has no wish ttt go elsewhere. :

The civic centre were pro. rninently before the public a year o* two ago, and at about that time, too the need of a new Central Library was being discussed. The whole question was reterred to a committee of three WeiUngton architects, whose main recommendations were- that the Town Hall block should be devoted to a strictly civic block, from the Town Hall to, and including, the- library site, and that a new library should be erected on the triangle of land on which stand, with, other buildings, the Fire Station and the sub-station.

Although the City Council has from time to time, officially asserted itself in the direction indicated, there- is not lacking evidence- that the members of the council, including its representatives upon the Fire Board, are, or have been, anything but unanimous as to' the practicability, or even the advisability, of the proposal for removing the fire station to another site (the land occupied by the boating clubs being the alternative site most often mentioned), but this evening's discussion at the council table may clear that position up one way or "the other, So far the public- has taken no part in the battle, other than to look on as more or less interested spectators—it takes a lot to interest Wellington people in: their own affairs, even if it is a frea show—but the question is important; [enough to warrant much more than £ [half interest from citizens.

The Act which legislates for the setting up of the Fire Board provides par- ' tieularly for details governing just sucfi a matter as is now in dispute. It lays down that upon the coming into oper.? J. ation of a fire board in any district tha I whole of the fire brigade assets thea : under the control of the existing authority (the City Council, in Wellington's case) automatically passes to the board. Provision is, however, made that' tha local authority "may create -a dispute" by objecting to the transfer >of any landed property so involved. The Fire Board may consider such objection, and, if it so chooses, may mako any other arrangement. In the case of the Central Fire Station the .Fire Board has chosen to contest the issue. When such an impasse is reached,, provision is made for a settlement by arbi« tration. ' BOARD APPARENTLY ON BOX - j SEAT. An essential point, however, is that it appears that the onus falls upon tha local authority (the council) to prova to the satisfaction of the arbitrators that the property in dispute is indeed required for public purposes. If this is the correct interpretation the board will appear to be on the box seat, and the responsibility of displacing it rests upon the City Council. There are those in the city—and seemingly at the council table, too— who regard the whole scheme as a financial impossibility. Great courage is required to face the task of asking the ratepayers to consent to find such a huge sum as would be required to carry the scheme into effect, particularly as it would involve a completa change of front upon the decision of only a few years ago to establish the main city electrical sub-station in tha angle of Wakefield street and Jervois quay, which long before the expiration of its life of service must go elsewhere to make way for a library. There ia also the point that the Fire Board is an institution equally owned by tha City Council and the insurance interests, and any pressure upon that body resulting in a large expenditure for a new site therefore involves the council in half that expenditure. There is th» further very substantial financial consideration in that were the triangle cleared of business leasehold premises the yearly loss of revenue would represent a fairly stiff capital sum. Between a library building (which, however, would sooner or later have to ba provided, there or elsewhere) the adjustment between board and council over a new station site, the erection of a new sub-station and removal of plant and the network of cables and controls, and the loss of revenue, a very large amount would be involved, but so far no official estimate has been given. One other aspect of the fire Etatioa problem may be recalled: A year or more ago, presumably in a spirit of compromise, a suggestion was put forward that a comparatively small expenditure, of £5000 or thereabouts, should be made iv putting the station into order to meet probable requirements for the next ten or so years and that the board should remain in peaceable occupation until a decision could be arrived at, which decision, say those who doubt ths financial practicability, of the scheme, cannot be arrived at until the ratepayers have been askei} whether they are for or against it.