The Evening Star. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 1871.

Auckland Star, Volume II, Issue 353, 25 February 1871, Page 2

The Evening Star. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 1871.

We observe that incendiarism in Melbourne has almost established itself as a trade ; and its development is openly charged to the carelessness of the fire insurance companies. There is an impulse in most people's mind on hearing of a conflagration, to connect it at once with an insurance policy ; and until the origiu is fully investigated the suspicion lurks in the people's minds that there was foul play. It cannot be doubted that the suspicion is not an xinreasonable one, as we read from time to time of the revelations that come to light in connection with the burning of buildings. One of the most remarkable illustrations haa been recently afforded in Victoria. A storekeeper had insured hi& stock, with, the express purpose of burning his house. Luckily for the Insurance' Company he was not gifted with the ordinary amount of taciturnity, and the detectives managed to become participators in his secret. On the night of the fire, on the first alarm, jX-- t*| >r> " w ■•— •»-- • ,-, tj m readiness the fire was at once extinguished, and the shelves were, on examination, found filled with cases and packages of straw and sawdust. On this valuable slock a heavy insurance had been effected, and had the man but kept his own counsel, his villainous plot Avould have succeeded, and he should have been able to retire on his ill-gotten gains, to laugli at the credulity of the insurance company We have no reason to suppose that the attempt was an unusual one ; but one merely discovered through a very unusual loquacity. Nor can we wonder at such an attempt, or at the number of evidently intentional burnings, when we see the direct premium that is offered to arson by the great majority of Insurance , Companies. Competition runs so high that risks are taken with a scrupulous avoidance of anything that would seem to hint the possibility of aught but the purest integrity in the applicant. His representations are received with unquestioning faith ; and without any demur the stock is insured virtually on the valuation of the owner, and to its full amount. This really is a subject of interest to the public; for there is a direct premium presented and the utmost facility afforded for the committal of an offence that endangers human life and the property of others. The subject would be a difficult one to legislate upon, but the interests involved are such as to demand the most earnest attention, to see if some means could not be devised to prevent the indiscriminate and careless insurance of property to its full value, and so remove a powerful incentive to crime.