FIRE WASTE

Hokitika Guardian, 12 August 1931, Page 2

FIRE WASTE

DOMINION'S LOSSES.

PREVENTION “DRIVE” TO BE INAUGURATED.

WELLINGTON, A’ng. 8

The big waste by fire in New Zealand has caused the authorities to adopt fresh methods to lessen it. Hon P. A. de la Perelle, Minister of Internal Affairs, stated to-day that the figures, showing the Dominion's fire waste, placed before him by the Government Inspector of Fire Brigades (Mr R. Girling-Butcher), made it plain that sorne drastic measures were necessary. It was proposed in the future to increase the number of fire inquiries and to track down and consider the causes. “The fire losses in New Zealand,” stated Mr de la Perrelle, “are remarkable and something will have tb be done to check them. According to reports furnished to me the fire losses actually paid by the insurance companies during the five years 1926-1930 amounted to £5,900,873. To this figure must be added the uninsured fire loss which is conservatively estimated at 12$ per cent of the insured loss. The total fire waste for the Dominion for the five years, therefore, reaches the staggering total of £6.648,482, -or ah average yearly expenditure of £i,350,000. The loss figures fol* 1930 nl‘e slightly lower than' this average, but the information received by the Inspector of Fire Brigades for the first six months of this year indicate that apart altogether from the enormous fire loss due to the earthquake in Hawkes Bay, the loss for the present year will be considerably higher.

Government’s Anxiety

‘(The Government is greatly concerned at the persistence of this high fire loss figure, which amounts to 18s per head of population and, as far as can be ascertained, has the uneviable distinction of being the highest amount per head of any country where accurate statistics are kept. It must be recognised that fire loss, even though covered by insurance, is a national loss and absorbs capital which is badly needed to-day for both public and private purposes, and at the present time of financial stringency when national economy is so essential, it is more than ordinarily imported that every effort should be made to reduce the national waste on fires. “In 1929 a committee consisting of representatives of Government Departments and the insurance companies'was set 1 up to consider the fire waste problem. This committee brought down an excellent report, hut •the remedial measures suggested involved a cdttsiderable expenditure, and nothing further has been done bwiiig to tbe difficulty iff raising the lifesricdafy finance. Proposals involving 1 'gl'eSftty™ redud@tf M,s expenditure have how been prepared by my De* partment. These provide for the cooperation of the Police, Justice and State'' Fire Departments with the Inpector of Fire Brigades and the insurance companies. Arrangements have been made that the cost of the work will be , divided between the insurance companies ahd the departments mentioned, and in this connection I desire to thank the Council of Fire Underwriters for the'assistance, both financial and otherwise, that they have arranged to provide.

Coronial Inquiries

‘ |“lt is proposed to inaugurate a. fire prevention. “drive’ throughout the country, and as the first step in the programme ,it has been : decided to inprogramme it . has .-. been decided to increase greatly the number of 1 * coronial inquiries held into fires. The Inspector of Fire Brigades, acting under the powers of the Fire Brigades Act, will obtain from every Fire Board Sperintendent an immediate report on any fire where there are suspicious circumstances indicating incendiarism. I am also appealing to' other local authorities controlling fire brigades, requesting them to co-operate with the Department in this matter and to arrange for their fire superintendents to make similar re. ports. Coronial inquiries will also be held into any fires where the circumstances indicate that information will be obtained which will be of value in connection with the prevention or suppression of fires.

A‘The' Police Department normally makes inquiries into every fire and the police Mil be requested to make move detailed; investigations into , all suspicions', fires, whether occurring in fire brigade districts or in non-protected areas. The police reports will be considered jointly by the Commissioner of Police, the Inspector of Fire Brigades and the General Manager of the State Fire Department (representing the insurance interests). Where it is considered that the circumstances warrant this action, the case will he submitted to tho Justice Department with a request that the Coroner consider the holding of an inquiry under the Coroners Act. Inquiries will he conducted entirely by the Police Department, and the insurance companies have agreed to assist in every possible way. y,. In order to reduce expenditure they will arrange for any employers required to give evidence to do this without most to the Department.

Three Causes. “Exnert investigation shows that the cause of practically all fires can lie divided into three main groups—incendiarism, carelessness and accident. The knowledge that coronial inquiries will be held into all suspicious fires

should act as a very definite check 011 incendiarism. The second fire cause, that of carelessness, is responsible for by far the greater proportion of the total fire loss, and is at the same time the most difficult ; factor to overcome. While civic and public activity can help in'the elimination of fire risks, in the main it is “John Citizen” and his family—who cause these fires —who can prevent them, and I appeal to the general public to give this matter most careful consideration. It is most desirable that something in the nature of a national conscience on the question should be created so that a man who lias a fire from other than purely accidental causes should be ; regarded as having failed in good citizenship. “Complaints are made on every hand about the Government’s excessive taxation; here in the Dominion fire waste we have a taxation of over a million pounds a year moistly imposed by the citizens on themselves. It is most necessary to bring (home to the public, firstly that the fire .loss is mainly due to carelessness, secondly that even though loss is insured \it is nevertheless loss, and thirdly thiat any reduction in fire loss due to greater public care or fire prevention activity, is not merely a gain to the j insurance companies but to the general public. Through the State Fire Office', the Government has a great measure of control over the insurance position, and can ensure that any reduction in fire loss is passed on to the publicthrough reduction in insurance rates. !

Need for Co-operation.

“I would ask for tile co-ppcirntioii of all local autltorities, fire’, 'brigades, Cliambers of Commerce, and obher business organisations, as niuch; of the necessary work can only be : done by community action,. Very; little consideration will show that fire, prevention activity, particularly at:the present time, is good business, ard experience in other countries lias shown that co-operation between local authorities and business organisations has been a very important factor in reducing fire Joss. It is generally ,recognised that on the fire protection side of tbe problem the New Zealand fire brigades, which are largely valunteer organisations, are doing very excellent work.' Fire Brigade officers can give very valuable assistance with respect to fire prevention since from their experience of local conditions they are in an unequalled position to advise regarding the fire risks existing and as; to what measures should be taken in each case to reduce the fire hazard. I am therefore requesting the United Fire Brigades’ Association, which is tlion'r official organisation, to help in this fire prevention movement and from mv personal knowledge of the leaders of the association I am certain they will do so whole-heartedly.”