$3000 for fire museum survey

A proposal to shift Masterton's troubled Jubilee Fire Museum to a new site in Dixon Street is hanging on by its fingernails.
Masterton District Council this week voted to spend up to $3000 for a feasibility study to determine the museum's future, but not without a fair measure of reluctance from councillors.
The money will allow heritage consultant Ken Scadden to put the whole plan to shift the museum from its lonely site at the northern end of Chapel Street to Dixon Street under the microscope.
Mr Scadden is a recognised expert on museums and was earlier commissioned by the council to report on the success or otherwise of Aratoi.
He will examine the "advantages, disadvantages and costs" of four options relating to the fire museum, whose main exhibit is the Jubilee Fire Engine, originally purchased by the Masterton Borough Council in 1887.
These include moving the existing building to the new site, moving the building and adding another section to it, building a new purpose-built museum on Dixon Street and combining any of those options on a different site such as at Hood Aerodrome.
The fire museum has struggled to attract visitors, is hardly ever open and has come into a barrage of criticism, even from within its own ranks.
Jubilee fire buffs have split into two factions ? those supporting the committee and a rival group calling itself Friends of the Jubilee.
Councillor Brent Goodwin said he regarded the council handing out $3000 as being a waste of money.
He said if a "bunch of 13 or 14 adults" couldn't get together and resolve their differences of opinion over the museum's future, the council should refuse to spend any money on the museum.
A further proposal to have Masterton Mayor Bob Francis nominate an independent person to the fire museum's committee, and chair its meetings, was also given the thumbs-down by Mr Goodwin.
"They have got to sort themselves out," he said.
Councillor Jonathan Hooker said he had "worked with some of these people".
"I can well understand how they can't get a consensus and I don't envy the person who is appointed and has to chair their meetings."
Councillor Judith Callaghan said she didn't think the council was in the sort of financial position to "dish out money that's not going anywhere".
The existing fire museum was "a terrible design inside", totally unsuitable for what it was built for and didn't warrant being picked up and shifted, let alone being added to on its new site.
She said the fire museum was the exact opposite of the new Shears History museum that is an example to everyone of how to do things properly.
Councillor Rod McKenzie also spoke up against voting any money to the project. He said the cramped museum had many of its exhibits up a steep flight of stairs.
"About a quarter of the population wouldn't even be able to get up there to see them."
Despite the objections, the council voted to allow Mr Scadden to spend up to $3000 on his investigations.
His report to the council is expected later this month.