The Globe. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 21, 1877.

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 1086, 21 December 1877, Page 2

The Globe. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 21, 1877.

Although departing somewhat from the usual course of procedure at festive gatherings., the appointment ou Monday of the committee to enquire into the question of the water supply was a step in the right direction. The constitution of the committee also is such that every confidence will he felt in thendoing their best to arrive at a sound and reasonable conclusion. We hope that on oap point at least the committee will be 7027 implicit is their report; and that

they -will collect all the information possible, that is, the effect which the introduction of a scheme of water supply would have upon the rates of insurance. In other words, whether with vastly improved appliances for fire prevention—which of course means decreased risk—the Insurance Association will see its way to make a proportionate reduction in the rate of premiums charged. The committee will, we trust, take steps to put this question plainly to the Association, because a great deal depends upon the answer. There can bo no doubt of this, that the power of the Brigade in the matter of saving property will be largely increased by a scheme of water supply. But are wo to do this, and simply to put so many more thousands per year into the pockets of the Insurance Companies ? If the latter—seeing the reduction in risk—were to reduce their rates of premium by one-half, they would enormously increase their business with a diminished risk owing to the improved appliances for fire extinction. But if they are determined to keep up the present high rates then it becomes a question what wo should do. It might be necessary, after the completion of a scheme which would supply Christchurch with water, to form an insurance company on a mutual basis. With an increased supply of water and the admirably efficient Brigade wo possess, the risk would be but small. But we do not think such an extreme step will be necessary. The insurance companies must see that by carrying out a work such as that proposed the citizens are reducing the probabilities of a very destructive fire almost to a minimum. Hence it will not be fair to keep the rates of premium as now, with but scanty appliances in the shape of water. The citizens are contemplating the expenditure of a. large sum of money in the protection of the city from fire. That means still further increasing the revenue derived by the insurance companies, by materially reducing the risk of their being called upon to make good losses by fire. This being the case, they are fairly entitled to ask the insurance companies to reduce their rates in proportion to the risk. We hope that the committee will take steps to ascertain the mind of the Insurance Association on this point most clearly. It will form a most material element in the decision of the meeting to which the report of the committee is to lie referred, and therefore every care should be taken to make the information relating to it as full and complete as possible. The figures quoted by Mr. Harris show what a large item the insurance question is in considering the scheme. He stated that should the insurance rates be reduced one-half, enough money would be saved to more than pay interest and sinking fund on the loan for the completion of the works. Taking all things into consideration, it seems to us that the Association cannot refuse to lower their rates. If they will not do so it will, of course, bo for the ratepayers, who are also insurers, to consider what steps shall be taken. We have already suggested one way out of the difficulty. But the insurance companies—or rather their representatives here —have the reputation of being “ canny,” and it will hardly, we should think, be allowed to go so far as this. We now turn to another point. It will, we suppose, be all but impossible to proceed at once with a scheme which shall combine a domestic service and fire prevention. The latter, as being the most necessary, will of course be proceeded with first. In this case it will lie necessary so to arrange the laying of the pipes both as to the route taken and their size as to enable them to bo utilized whenever the full scheme is brought into operation. By this means a great expense will be saved, and the efficiency of Tooth services in no way impaired. Of course it is premature as yet to talk about any particular scheme. The suggestion thrown out on Wednesday at the installation of His Worship the Mayor that competitive designs should be invited seems to be a good one. What the committee will have to do, we take it, is to consider the best method generally of supplying Christchurch with water, leaving the engineers to supply the details. That such a necessity does exist is so patent that the committee need waste no time over that. Their principal duty, so far as we can see, is to indicate, both financially and otherwise, the general characteristics of the scheme they would propose. When this is adopted, and the groundwork settled, then competitive designs ciin bo asked for. We hope, in conclusion, that the committee -null make their report as full and exhaustive as possible, because it will really be upon that, and not on theories started at a moment’s notice on the platform of a public meeting, that the ratepayers and those interested must arrive at their decision.

It is a fortunate thing for New Zealand (bat the character of Sir G. Grey is pretty widely known in the other colonies and at home, otherwise his conduct in connection with the defences of the colony would materially damage ogr credit in the eyes of all impartial on-lookers, Speaking of tbs Sir W. Jopme

spondeuco, the Australasian says:— “He (Sir G. Grey) considers that the financial condition of the colony will not allow it to provide for its defence, which is something like saying that a man has so largely spent his capital in furnishing his house that ho can’t afford to buy a lock for his front door. He holds, moreover, that ‘the home Government is bound to defend the colony ’ —one of the meanest and most ignominious contentions that the Premier of a wealthy prosperous community could put forward. That a country which has spent enormous sums of borrowed money should decline to provide for its defences, and attempt to throw the responsibility of defence on its creditors, would be a policy discreditable in the highest degree to the community were it not that it expresses rather the feelings of an erratic, eccentric politician, than those of the people of the country. These views thoroughly exhibit that wild, irrational, petulant character that stamps all of the proceedings of Sir George Grey.”