The Evening Star TUESDAY, JULY 20, 1875.

Evening Star, Issue 3690, 20 July 1875, Page 2

The Evening Star TUESDAY, JULY 20, 1875.

Councillor Fish complains w® have done him injustice in thinking that he has not learned when to apeak and when to hold his tongue, and refers to the silence of the * Guardian * in proof that he was not instrumental in causing the resignation of the Fire Brigade. It appears, on reperusal of the reports, that in trusting to memory we had attributed to him solely what should have been laid to the charge of the whole Council; and in this respect we have done him injustice. But if he will refer again to the columns of the ‘ Guardian ’ he will see it recorded that he is represented to have said in effect, that unless the Insurance Companies contribute £3OO a-year to the support of the Brigade, the Corporation will not contribute towards its expenses. This would have been better unsaid. We have no interest in Insurance Companies beyond paying premiums for risks, and therefore may fairly claim to canvass the matter impartially; and wo really can see no justification for the stand taken by the Corporation, and for Mr Fish as its spokesman. Some companies have contributed some have not. It forms no part of the contract with the assured that a part of the premium shall be devoted to the support of a fire brigade ; although it is perfectly justifiable to consider, when paying for the risk, that the company he is contracting with has given, voluntarily, a per-centage on its income towards the support of an organisation calculated to afford additional security to that which is included in the bargain. If persons insuring property, when determining upon the choice of an insurance office, were to take this into calculation, they would soon very quietly effect what the bounce of the Corporation is not likely to accomplish. In populous cities at , Home, we believe it is even yet considered an advantage for insurance companies to hare their own engines and firemen, and on many stirring occasions they have done good service in saving life and property. Dunedin has not reached a growth so extended as to justify so liberal a step on the part of any one company, and has hitherto been well served by a Volunteer Fire Brigade, who, in return for the sacrifices they have made of time and training, are made a butt for City Councillors to shoot at when it is found convenient to preach economy. In our opinion, each member of the Brigade sacrifices more, in proportion to his income, than a company that would pay the sole cost of the Brigade. It is usually considered, by those conversant with insurance, that in marine risks the ship-owners, the underwriters, and the assurers are jointly interested in the salvation of cargo ; and when a sacrifice of a portion has to be made to prevent total loss, each must bear a share. As this amount is usually ascertainable on specific classes of goods, there is no difficulty in fixing the average, and consequently the

amount each baa to pay. This cannot be done with equal certainty in cases of fires on shore, yet the principle, if good iu the one case, should be true in the obhen The owners of City property, the insurance companies, and the inhabitants generally are all separately interested in saving property from fire, and in any expense incurred for that purpose may reasonably be expected to bear & share. What effect the absence of a fire brigade may have on the rates of insurance we cannot say. Possibly in these days of competition none ; but it is not at all unreasonable to suppose that the Dunedin profits of companies would very speedily fall se much through the heavy demands upon their funds, as to demonstrate the folly of withholding the support needed for so useful a body as a fire brigade. The I contributions of the citizens may be | looked upon as represented by the vote of the Corporation, and it forms a very infinitesimal portion of the average upon the buildings that remain after a fire—for the efforts of a brigade are perhaps more usually effectual towardi checking the spread of fire than saving property attacked by it. It is clear, we think, for the reasons given, that while it is the interest of the companies to give liberally to the support of a fire brigade, it is the duty of the Corporation to see that there is one. The voluntary system in this, as in other matters, does not work well, excepting with the Brigade itself, the members of which very reasonably say, “We have given our time to the public serviee; we are ready at any moment to fulfil the duties undertaken, but you eanuot expect us to be at the expense of finding material and accommodation. The sacrifice we make individually to be enabled to do systematically what no number of untrained men could do without an immense additional sacrifice of property, is of small benefit to ourselves, but it relieves tbe City of a heavy charge which they would be equally bound to incur as to pay taxes towards support of a police. We cannot think that the Council expresses the opinion of the ratepayers when they threaten to withdraw their support because the companies do not subscribe a eertain sum. We have nothing to do with that, nor can we submit that our free services shall be accepted or rejected on the resolution of such a contingency. Make your own arrangements with the companies, but do not make us the tools for extorting money from them. It forms no part of our service, nor can we accept the position. You had better hire men if such is your purpose.” These we think reasonable views of the matter, and that they will be generally accepted. The Brigade has done good service, and deserves the warmest thanks of the citizens,