DOMINION’S FIRE WASTAGE

Hokitika Guardian, 3 September 1929, Page 2

DOMINION’S FIRE WASTAGE

ENORMOUS ANNUAL LOSS. In the course of a crusnde.aiming at .a:'.:reduction.' of fire wantage. >jn the Dominion, Captain T. T. Hugo, Chief Inspector'Af Fire/Brigades,: addressed a jiieeting: at-Dunedin tevnight. ; His'principalobject', Captain Hugo said, was ,tb nwaken the general public the enormous loss caused every year by fire in New Zealand. In justice to the fire brigades he wished to say that t(ie present situation was not due to the inefficiency of the fire brigades, but rather to the abnormal, number of - outbreaks,' together with in many cases the inflammable nature of the buildings. , New Zealand occupied an unenviable position in regard to its annual loss compared with, other countries. In Great Britain in six years-tile fire loss, had been reduced from 6s 2d per head to 4s ; M, whereas ill Ndw Zealand the loss had increased from 13s to 20s per head. Taking 1928 hy itself the loss in Great Britain was ten millions, and in New Zealand £1,454,000. These figures dealt only with losses covered by insurance, and a conservative estimate of the loss ofi property insured and uninsured in the/Dominion for one year was £1;636,118, equal to 22s J 6d per head of population.

Dealing with causes of fires, Captain Hugo said that an analysis of the fire returns for the last three years would fix 9 per cent of fires due to incendiarism, 70 to carelessness more or less, and 21 per cent due to pure accident. hUthe category of carelessness, he said that 41 fires had been caused by electric: irons left switched on, causing loss of £34,540 ; 92 by sparks from coppers and domestic fireplaces, loss £12,746; by live ashes; 32, loss £11,293; by gas rings and heaters, 26, loss £8103; by airing clothes before fire, 15, loss £4423; by candles and overheating fat, etc. 49, loss £1095.

One of the most effective means of preventing fires, Captain Hugo continued, was to strike at the root of the evil by the teaching of fire prevention in schools and colleges, thus inculcating a sense of responsibility and care in the minds of the rising generation. Another effective means was the installation of automatic protection in the largs risks, such as factories and stores, and a further measure that had proved very salutary, was the holding of .coronial. inquiries into those of obscure origin. ■ Finally, there was need for a tightening of the building regulations by local bodies and also for greater vigilance on on the part of insurance companies in order to prevent over-insurance.