FIRE INSURANCE.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXI, Issue 87, 13 April 1911, Page 6

FIRE INSURANCE.

THE EXHIBITION RATES. Some demur was made a± the Industrial Association's meeting last evening on the question of fire insurance rates proposed to be charged by the Underwriter^ Association. The rates for the exhibition are not considered excessive, however, by underwriters. " Granted that the building is of a slow burning character," said one of them, " and a» fire-proof as it is possible to make it, there are always the risks of internal and external fires. An exhibition consists of a large number of tenants, andtherefore a proportionately large number of risks. It stands to reason that there is far moie danger from a large number of tenants in one building than,! from one tenant." Reference was then made to thevarious fires that had occurred at exhibitions, Brussels, for example, where there were three fires, one completely destroying the British court ; also three fires at Christchurch exhibition, where, ■on one occasion, the whole exhibition narrowly escaped destruction. Danger arose, too, from inflammable material and _ packing cases lying about in and outside all exhibitions-. As for the rates, SCLs per cent, per annum was charged at the New Plymouth exhibition, and 60s per oent. at Hawera. The Ohrktchurch rates were 75s per cent, per annum for the whole period on the wooden buildings, and 30s per cent, per annum in the srt gallery. The rates proposed by the underwriters for the Wellington exhibition were not excessive in trhia authority's opinion, taking everything into consideration.