Fire Brigades' Bill.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XL, Issue 7917, 24 September 1904, Page 5

Fire Brigades' Bill.

Action by the Council.

The Lyttelton Borough Council wrote: to the Borough Council at last-night's meeting-stating it had. decided to vigorously oppose the Fire Brigades' Bill now before Parliament, and asking for the* Council's .co-operation. . A reyie\y of the Bill by the Lyttelton' Town Clerk was received. It statedthat the Bill proposed to establish; Provincial Fire Bqards, each consisting of three members elected bythe insurance companies, three by the local bodies,, .and one by the Governor., One local body representative was to be elected by the chief or metropohtan local body and the other two by. the remaining local bodies. The Board and its officers are given free use of all water mains, and all water therein, for the purpose of extinguishing fires and for the purpose, of drills arid practices.' The cost of administration of the Act is to be borne haff hy the local authorities, the Board to assess, contributions, to assume control of-all existing brigades,; while, alt lahds'and buildings and plant be vested' •iri^he. Board ji- provided: that. the Boai'ct. pays to the local authority a rental equal' to 4 percent on the capital-value of the" buildings, and pays valuation for the. plant'at a price to be agreed upon. Local bodies may pay the amount of then* contribution out of the general account or may make a special rate not exceeding fd in the £ on the annual value to, .cover the. cost. If the latter course is followed only then may- tho local body' rate Government buildings. The review, states that-.originally tho proposal for legislation .orf.'-this' subject had for its primary object the necessity of providing some scheme by which, insurance companies should contribute to the cost of the? upkeep of the brigades —the essential ''point was riot so much the necessity for improving the efficiency of the service.'

Cr, Armstrong said the Council should hold a special meeting to consider the Bill and the Superintendent of the Fire Brigade be asked to be present. It seemed to him that the Bill opened up ant exceedingly important question. By the Bill the insurance companies had threo representatives on the Boards proposed to be, set; up and the; local bodies three only. . It was very certain from the support. ..fire...brigades'- hMy receivedin th'o' piteiy' from: iinsurajace.-' cbmpames7 thai? there---would 'be two sections:;on tho1 board, .arid the decision would fall upba the Government' nominee. He did not wish to say'^ anything but he had not niuch faith in Government nominees. On this ground alone Cr Armstrong thought a special meeting should beheld to consider the Bill. He moved in this direction.

: Cr Haydon seconded the motion. Ho thought.this was a very dangerous Bill, as the, Government itself was an insurance company or would be very shortly. Cr' Haydon said that under the Bill it was possible the, Palmerston Brigade, which was a large one, would be controlled by an outside,body,'' oh which the Council had no representative. , ? Cr Armstrong: Arid our water supply too. -

The Mayor was in favor of protesting at once without calling a special meeting/ Cr Haydon said they only wanted to get rid of some of the objectionable clauses j. not to object to theywholeßill. Cr Browning: said; the Bill had been before the House ? for the last twelve years. Every year it was so much knocked out ?6f shape that he did not think it would ever become law.:

; The to.hold'a.special meeting wasihcn carried. ??; '* ■