FIRE RISKS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1126, 13 May 1911, Page 6

FIRE RISKS.

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EXHIBITION INSURANCE RATES MR. BALLINfiKir.S REPLY TO UNDERWRITERS.

[To tho Kdilor.l

Sir, —Replying to tho article which appeared in your issue of the 1 lth inst., I wish it to bo understood that I havo littlo time or inclination lo answer what appeared therein. There aro statements msule, however, by the "Leading Underwriter" which 1 wish to contradict. Tho facts are tho Wellington Harbour Board generously leased us tho "U" and "J" stores free of rent for tho holding of the Coronation New Zealand Industrial Exhibition. Tho condition was stipulated under the deed of lease, that we should insure to the full insurable value in tho Standard Fire Insurance Office. This office was specially mentioned because it holds the whole of tho board's insurance. The Standard office re-insures with other companies, comprising the Underwriters' Association.

Tho. full value of tho Harbour Board buildings and plant referred to is assessed at £43,00',). This, 1 understand, is the full value of tho property leased to us. Tho usual practice of insurance companies is only to insure up to 75 per cent, of the value, but for large sums a bigger percentago may bo taken. I have never previously heard of the full value being accepted. If the usual practice of taking r is per cent> of tho value had been adopted in this instance the full amount of insurance premium would have been on £32,250, or, in other words, a reduction of £10,250, which at 6s. 3d. per cent., would have been £31 less premium for us to pay. Wo have taken every precaution, at my suggestion, to safeguard the risk against iire or damage to the buildings by using sheet-iron. in. place of wood for our partition walls. The "J" building, as. leased to us, is practically fireproof, or I had perhaps better express myself by saying fire-resisting. The walls are of brick and concrete. The floors concrete, and the columns steel, encased in concrete, so it is absolutely impossible, even with highly inflammable exhibits, to harm tho'buildings. There will be no fuel to generate heat similar to wool or flax, which is usually stored therein. Tho only portions in the "J" building that could burn aro the small stairs leading to tho gallery and top floor, and the windows and doors, and frames of same. If tho lire broke out in an exhibit, tho only damage to the building would bo to tho timber near that exhibit. I would point out that tho timber erections wo aro putting in are not insured in tho standard Company's policy, so they aro not taking that risk. The exhibits are separated by passages Bft. in width, therefore if one exhibit caught lire, it would havo little chance to spread to the other side, and t.ie bulk of the exhibits are not packed in tho store such as wool, fla\- and tallow would be. I am not so much concerned about the rate charged on the contents of tho buildings as wo only need to insure works of art kindly lent m! s exhibition in the Art Gallerv rho Now Plymouth Exhibition mentioned was built of wood and iron, and the last Wellington Exhibition, held the. latter end of 1896-1897, was built of wood, iron, and canvas, and the others mentioned I feel sure were built of similar materials, and no serious fire occurred. In not one of the places mentioned by the "Leading Underwriter" have they the same fire-fighting appliances, neither have they such an excellent fire brigade as wo havo in Wellington. Otir" ioii' biiikliiifra are situated on the harbour side, and if any trouble occurred with tho watermains, there, is an unlimited supply of water in the harbour to draw from. The City Brigade havo tho use of two steam fire engines, one of 1000 and one of SoO jrallons, and also a 330gallon motor fire-pump. We have connected to the town main three 100 ft. lengths of 2in. iire hose in the "U" store, and six 100 ft. in thn "J" store. Further, we have arranged for twelve electric call-boxes to bo in various parts of the buildings. Arrangements aro being made for two or throe chemical engines, and 60 Minimax hand grenades arc to be placed throughout the buildings. The watchmen to be appointed may not be old men, and preference will bo given to firemen. Tho watchmen will not have much time to go to sleep, as they will be required to sweep up the buildings for the next day, and they will each have a block to look .after. I have been associated with fire' brigade work for many years, and I am still an active member of our tire brigade, and I do think I am justified in claiming to have some knowledge of firo prevention.

We have had other exhibitions in Wellington, and no fire occurred in them, and those buildings were certainly constructed of.flimsy material. They were in no way in the same class as thn Harbour Board's fine buildings. Tho'sentence in the ."Leading Underwriter's" article about the plumber and the price of baths is a poor argument. Plumbers charge different rates for different classes of baths. The underwriters havo a fixed tariff, and tho insurer who builds tho fireproof building is charged the same rate as his neighbour who fills his buildings with wooden partitions and covers them with scrim and naner. .. ■ ; • -

I do not hesitate to affirm that tho fire rates in Wellington arc very, much higher than, they should be, considering tlio splendid water supply wo have, and the up-to-date appliances and fire brigade to which the underwriters do not subscribe a single penny. I am sorry to hear that the insurance companies have not uiado 6d. profit out of insurance, in New Zealand, the country which ho states has tho, highest lire, average in the world. I would like to know how tho Wellington average compares with those of Christchurch, Duneclin. Auckland, and other places, also the rates charged on each. .Such information would bo interesting to tho public. The reason the Harbour Board insisted on a full insurnble value being effected was not because of the holding of the Exhibition in the buildings, but for tlio simple reason that they were, parting with their property for three- months without recompense, and. it was only right that a public body should run no risk whatever.

AVith reference to tlio statement that the New Zealand State Fire Department had withdrawn its offer of 4s. 6d. per cent, after the malinger had made inquiries. This is absolutely iintnie. ] emphatically stato that the offer was not withdrawn, and that to-day the manager tokl me he was still prepared to accept n risk on the buildings at 4s. 6d. per cent. The position wo were, placed in was that wo could not avail ourselves of this offer, on account of the agreement with the Harbour Hoard stating that we had to insure with the Standard Fire Office. Any request for alteration in this stipulation could not ho placed before tho Harbour Board's Committee for consideration, as that committee does not meet before the 24th instant, tho dato on which our Exhibition is to be opened. In conversation with the manager of the Standard Insurance Company, I suggested a cover for one month in Tiis office under the usual builders' risk, hut was informed that if such a cover was taken we would still have to pay the full rate, for the shorter term. I would like tn ask the underwriter if they have reduced tho insurance, rates at Brooklyn. Kelburne. Kilbirnie, Island Bay. and other suburbs since the water mains and distributing reservoirs were completed, .mid nre they nrenarerl to .reduce rntos when the dunlicntp )«ain from Wainui and rwrvnir in the city arc completed. On looking over

the. insurance proposal with tlie Standard Kiro Oflicc, 1 iiml that the woodblocking between the li and J stores is insured lor £-100. This is the cost of tli« wood blocks ami concrete under the wood-blocking. The wood-blocking may burn, but the concrete would not, and the woodblocks could bo reinstated lor £200. We are therefore paying double rates on this little, item.' I have visited a few exhibitions and in 1.801 I saw the Glasgow Exhibition. A fire, broke out there in a tea kiosk-, but it did not spread to the rest of (ho buildings. The art gallon- wan in a line brick building, and 1 should like the underwriter to inform mo what rate of insurance was charged upon that, building and contents. My letter has been much longer than I intended, and my reason for same is that I am fully convinced wo are. rated out of all proportion to the risk taken.—l am. etc., •

THOMAS BALLIXGER,

President Wellington Provincial Industrial Association, and Chairman of Commissioners of the . Exhibition.