Otago Settlers Museum authorities plan to remove three historic fire appliances from the museum collection and effectively acknowledge ownership by the Dunedin Fire Brigade Restoration Society.
The Otago Settlers Museum Board recently approved a report by museum director Linda Wigley, which recommended that three Ford V8 fire engines, manufactured in 1935, 1942 and 1949, respectively, be "deaccessioned" from the museum collection.
The report recommended that a deed of acknowledgement of ownership, subject to some conditions, be drawn up between the Dunedin City Council and the restoration society.
The proposed deed would include ownership, storage, maintenance and access, as well as the responsibilities of the museum and society.
A memorandum of understanding also needed to be drawn up to "preserve a relationship" through which the two organisations would continue to jointly stage exhibitions and events involving the vehicles.
The museum had taken the fire engines into its collections in good faith in 2004, along with other items acquired from the former Dunedin Museum of Transport and Technology at Seacliff, the report noted.
The society had subsequently disputed the museum's ownership of the three engines and had provided the museum with supporting documentation in 2008.
Issues surrounding the custody of the vehicles had "resulted in some erosion of goodwill" between the society and the museum, the report said.
It should be acknowledged that the society had "put a great deal of time and resources" into the restoration of two of the three vehicles.
It had been suggested that when the fire engines were at Seacliff, ownership had been vested in the forerunner of the restoration society and not the former transport museum itself, so that legal ownership could still rest with the society.
A legal opinion had also indicated a "grey area" over ownership.
The museum board accepted a recommendation that a Land Rover and a 1956 Ford airport crash tender, which had both been restored and maintained by the restoration society, remain part of Settlers Museum collections.
Mrs Wigley said more work and discussions would be needed to finalise agreements between the parties.
The museum was keen to maintain positive relationships so the two organisations could continue to work closely together in future, she said in an interview.
