PAEROA FIRE BRIGADE.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 5101, 16 March 1927, Page 2

PAEROA FIRE BRIGADE.

QUARTERLY COUNCIL REPORT.

EXPENDITURE EXCEEDS GRANT

Tlie following report of the affairs of the Fire Brigade for the year ended February, 1927, was presented by the chairman of the Fire Council (Cr. F. E. Flatt) to Thursday night’s meeting of tlie Paeroa Borough Council .’ —

“The balance-sheet shows revenue as follows : Credit balance, £223 8s 9d ; public subscriptions, £l2 3s 2d ; borough grant, £l5O ; tot.al, £385 11s lid. Against this payments totalling £390 18s 3d have been made, leaving a debit balance of £5 6s 4d after all accounts are paid to date. “Tlie' brigade is at its full strength, and with tlie new gear and motor reel a ’higher sLite of efficiency is apparent. Tlie brigade’s reporX contains an application for an alteration to one of the doors in tlie building and for an half-inch hose. We ask that these requcstsibe brought up for consideration ■f the incoming council. The brigade also requests that the practice of leaving the council’s houses loose in the yard at night be discontinued, as it is very disturbing to the resident firemen.

“It is proposed to again canvass the town for funds, and at the same time we write to draw the attention of the counci to tlie fact that no steps have yet been taken by the insurance companies to put Paeroa in the class to which, by virtue cf her improved fire equipment, she is now entitled. As the life <-f the present council expires after March, we would ask that tlie sum of £8 10s be granted to settle all accounts naw due.”

Cr. Flatt, in moving tlie adoption O'f the report, pointed out that the brigade had been forced to exceed its grant. There was no doubt that, if the people realised tlie saving now effected an insurance premiums by reason of the fire-fighting apparatus having been brought up-to-date it should be an inducement to support the brigade mere liberally when it came t.o solicit donations. It was not suggested that the door referred to in the report should be moved at present. A further length of hose was required, and also- special appliances for quelling fires on motor vehicles, but it, was proposed to hold the requisition' over until the new council took office. Reviewing the report, the Mayor (Mr W. Marshall) said that instructions had been given to the foreman that, the horses were tQ be placed in the Rawhitiroa reserve every night, with the exception of the two, required for the sanitary service. On inquiries being made it was found that the horses were removed from the yard by 10 p.m., and he did not think the brigade had much cause for complaint. EXPENDITURE OF BRIGADE.

Tlie Mayor said that he was alarmed to learn that the brigade had exceeded its estimates. When a grant from the council of £175 for the year was asked for it was understood that that sum would be sufficient, but it was now found that £2lO had been expended, and the council had to find an additional £35. The Fire Council should see t<> it that t'he expenditure was kept withiir the estimates. Tn four years tlie borough had paid the Fire Council over £7OO, including £366 for the new fire station. Previous to that the Fire Council was granted £46 a year, exclusive of what was received by way of donations from the public. The expenditure each year was increasing beyond the resources of the borough. If the present state o'f affairs continued it was questionable whether it would not be wiser to set up a fire board with its attendant expenses and responsibilities and be done with it.

Cr. Flatt said he did not, see how the expenditure could help increasing. With the provision of the mator firereel petrol had,to be purchased. The telephone at the station was also an added expense, and by reason o'f the modern fire-fighting appliances requiring a greater degree of care and efficiency the caretaker’s wages had been increased. It might possibly be more economical to create afire b°'ard. Cr. E. Edwards pointed out that included in the £2lO expended was an amount of £7o' for new gear, which would not be an annually recurring expenditure. The report was then adopted.