FIRE LOSSES.

Hokitika Guardian, 31 October 1924, Page 4

FIRE LOSSES.

U'KI.UXDTOX. October 20. Tin' ; 11.1111 a I report of lhi‘ 11 i:s]:c; tor nf Kite |jri<imli'> says the total loss tlii'oiiolimit tTi' l*'im.' Distiict.s fur tin 1 year «•:ul«-iI Jinn.' .'Mill., 11*21. amoimU'il to LToS.I.-J I. as against £2l)B.Dili for tin' |ii winns tiii'lvi' mi til tils, an inciea.se of £11!*."11. Tin- tliiYi* heaviest district losses in emred in ( hristchorch (L'!*li.">7T). I nvercarjiiTl (£17,221) and Auckland ( £ 1d.121.51. anil which accounted lor over half nf tin.' total 10-. s. Tin 1 insured loss. 111n111y.1111nt tin. 1 l)o----in iii it’ll Inr the year ending DecC'inher .'list.. 102.), ainiinnted to £821.117.'). The ]>riif ortion of lire loss thriniohont the Kin' Districts lor t*'e enrrespondinp; twelve months anioiinted to £187.7711. The Doiniiiion (ir<* v.a.le lor the same jeriod is estimated at C!*o7.(ilS, or Ids oil |ier ea|iita of i!ie pujnilat ion estimated fa April Ist.. Jif 211. Inspector lln;;o says that quite dO per cent, of the nut* Teaks of lire are easily preventahle. .Most al e caused hy sheer ra;eles'iK'.ss. and. as pointed out and advocate.l for years past, the remedy is education. The Knileil States ol America and the Dominion of Canada. iihn.se lire waste is sanieuhat oil a Par with that of Xew Zealand, have realised the noco-sity for a national movement towards the reduction of their liiioe loss, ami this has resulted in very pia.tieal action koine taken. Kile prevention methods are non regularly taue.ht in their schools and colleee.s. '‘Kile prevention weeks have heen o.sta 111 i.shi'i 1 hy proclamation, special eolle.nes have lieen foiinded and are in operation for the education of lire Inioade i.llicers in more ellicient methods ol lire prevention and lire extinction, eie. Any material redo: lion of the present, heavy drain on the resiniri e.s of tin's Domii.ien can lie loon.eht ahont only liv a General movement to that end. Spasmodic aition will not atlain the desired result. Concerted aerinii lollowino as closely as possible the methods outlined ahove, together with

the compulsory installation of automatic alarms or sprinklers in large warehouses, stores, emporiums, etc., over a certain cubical capacity is the only really effective remedy. Malicious false alarms of lire are cut the increase. The returns slmw a total of 132 alarms under that heading.