FIRE PROTECTION

Waikato Times, Volume 125, Issue 20916, 22 September 1939, Page 10

FIRE PROTECTION

EXTENSION OF DISTRICT COUNTY COUNCIL SUGGESTION A suggestion for the inclusion of Melville and an area surrounding Norton Road in the Hamilton fire district was contained in a letter received from the Waipa -County Council at the half-yearly meeting of the Hamilton Fire Board yesterday. The meeting was presided over by the chairman, Mr W. Bourne, and also present were Messrs A. E. Moore, G. C. Henderson, W. E. Burrow, R. McCaw, F. W. Luxford (secretary) and A. Craig (superintendent). “The council will shortly reticulate for a water supply for two semiurban areas adjacent to the Hamilton Borough, namely the Norton Road area and the Melville area.” said the letter. “Before discussing with the residents of these areas the question as to whether they would wish to have the protection of the fire board so far as fire fighting was concerned, it was thought advisable to approach the boarcl to see if these two areas could be included in the board's area.” In the Norton Road area, which comprised 386 acres, there were 120 residences, and in the Melville area, 246 acres, there were 85. Superintendent’s Report A report from Superintendent A. Craig stated that there was no reason why the Melvilp area should not be included in the board’s district. However he recommended that Lake Cresceift, which already had a fire main, be included and that Peacocke’s Road from Pine Avenue be deleted as the portion showed a domestic water supply, and could be given only first-aid protection. The Melville area adjoined the Hamilton Borough at the Waikato Hospital and the distance from the fire station to the extreme boundary was approximately tw’o miles. With reference to the Norton Road area the report said the district appeared to be rather large, but it was difficult to recommend which portions to delete, as the dwellings were grouped throughout the district to the far boundary, a distance of four miles from the fire station. The area contained two oil companies’ depots and a large timber mill. On the motion of the chairman the letters were received and the matter was referred to the finance committee with power to act.