FIRE BRIGADES BILL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 61, 19 October 1907, Page 2

FIRE BRIGADES BILL.

Per Press Association. Wellington, Friday. The Fire Brigades Jsill was exhaustively discussed by a deputation whidi waited upon Hl2 .\t(mnry-iti'iirral today, and in his reply J)r. Findlay made ! some important statements regarding tlie future operation or otherwise of the Act. Tin' deputation was organised by tlic Wellington City Council, and ineluded representatives of other et litres. The Hon.'.Mr. Ilislop, Mayor of Wellington, pointed out that the Municipal Conference condemned the establishment of Fire Boards as a retrograde, step, involving as it did further cutting-up of the powers of local government. lie scarcely hoped Hie Government ivould j l>ring about a reversal of the policy of last session, kit. he did hope Wellington would be left out of the operation of the Act, as far as the present Bill was concerned. Tt was considered that the power conferred on Fire Boards to borrow should no under the control of the Minis-tor and municipality. Willi regard to the exchange of properties, the Wellington Council thought all such transactions should be subject to the eonsent of the local authority. The Mayor of Dunedin, Messrs. Ividd and Baume (Auckland), Wood (Palmerston), and Gray (Christchurch) also spoke. In his reply Dr. Findlay said the sole desire of the Government in introducing the Bill was to have increased efficiency of .the brigades. If the measure did not serve that purpose, then it should go. He was sure the Government was still prepared to consider whether some scheme should not be adopted making the operation of the Bill optional, or, on the other hand, repeal it altogether. He would attempt ■to put in the Bill, with the sanction

of his colleagues, a clause providing that where a City Council passed a resolution asking to be relieved of the operation of the Act, the Statute should be inoperative so far as that particular municipality was concerned. Tlie depu-

tation seemed to forget that the scheme of the Bill was to put only a portion

of the cost of fire-prevention on the municipality. Under tlie Bill they would have to pay less than half. lie wa* prepared to suggest to his colleagues that some such system as that contained in the Advances to Settlers Act regarding sinking funds should be embodied in the Bill. Regarding Government representation on the Boards, he said, "We will withdraw our representation. The Government only desires to have an impartial man sitting on the Boafd."