IDEA ON FIRE RISKS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1837, 25 August 1913, Page 11

IDEA ON FIRE RISKS.

PROMPTLY BORROWED.TOWN CLERK'S SCHEME & AFTER. Questioned on Saturday regarding tho suggestion that the City Council should undertake its own fire insurances, Councillor G. Frost, while not condemning the proposal, considered it was a matter that would require to bo looked into very carefully. The council would have to seriously consider tho new scheme before departing from the present arrangement, by which tho corporation risks wero held by well-estab-lished insurance companies with largo reservo funds behind them. Inquiry was mado' of what Councillor Frost thought of Councillor Fletcher's idea for setting the suggested now sdiGmo on foot. "Whoso idea?" asked Councillor Frost. "Councillor Fletcher's idea as conveyed in the notice of motion not reached at tho last mooting of the council."

Councillor Frost said tho idea could scarcely be called Councillor Fletcher's. It was undoubtedly borrowed from tho Town Clerk.

■By way of explanation ho stated that on August 1 a confidential circular had been issuod to councillors from tho Town Clerk's office. This contained among other matters a "memo, re firo insurance." Tho information contained therein was- of course treated confidentially as marked, but about a | fortnight later he, with other councillors, was astonished to hear that Councillor Fletcher had given notice to move as follows:— "That the time is opportune when tho City Council should seriously consider the advisability and the desirability of undertaking its own fire insurance. That financial arrangements be made to set aside the sum of £3000 to form the nucleus of the said fire insurance fund, and that the Finance Committee bo requested to report on tho whole question at tho next meeting of. the council." Not only was the idea borrowed, but oven the figures of the motion were taken from the Town Clerk's circular. Tho exact position could be seen by reference , to a portion of the circular, which, in view of the notice of motion, was no longer confidential. It read as follows:— "I have for some time held the opinion that tho council should seriously consider the desirability, of undertaking its own firo insurance. I would point out that during the past _ eleven/ years a sum approximating to £5000 has been paid to the underwriters in Wellington by way of premiums, and tho total loss during that period has not exceeded £300. If tho council can seo its way clear to set aside a sum of, say, £3000, such sum to be handed over to, and Invested by, tho Sinking Fund Commissioners, together with tho. sum of £500 annually, I feel sure that time will prove the aotion to be justified.

Special caro is taken of most of the

Corporation properties, many hav- ' ing attendants day and night. The corporation fire risk generally is about as good a proposition from an insuring point of view as any in. the Dominion." Councillor Frost added that it was quite superfluous for Councillor Fletcher to have given notice of motion, as discussion on the question was provi<fcd for on. the Supplementary Order Paper and would be reached in tho ordinary course. Had it been reached at tho last r 'meeting Councillor Fletcher would probably have been given a warm timo all round the tablo as councillors were wrath at what they considered a gravo breach of confidonoe.