FIRE LOSSES.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 3802, 7 June 1928, Page 3

FIRE LOSSES.

PRINCIPALLY DUE TO CARELESSNESS.

Captain T. T. Hugo, Inspector of Fire Brigades, in an address to the Wellington Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday stated that the excessive ratio of loss in New Zealand ■was mostly due to the abnormal number of outbreaks of fire. A most regrettable feature, he continued, was that the great majority ,)of }the outbreaks jin New Zealand were directly due to carelessness. Out of the 1291 fires that had occurred in the 48 fire

districts, 138 had been due to carelessness with matches; 91 to sparks - from washing coppers and domestic fireplaces; 53 to pipes and cigarette butts; 47 to over-heating beeswax, fat, and hot ashes; 44 to

smoking, striking matches on naked lights in proximity to benzine; 3.1 to gas-rings and clothes airing before the fire; and 20 to electric irons—a total of 424. Not quite in the same category, but still due to carelessness in varying degree even up to a criminal point were the 154 fires reported as caused by electricity and defective hearths and chimneys, but there still remained unaccounted for the 409 fires which had destroyed all traces of their origin and had been returned as “cause unknown.”

As to the remedy for this abnormal number of outbreaks, proceeded Captain Hugo, I would reiterate my opinion that the most effective remedy for this -widely-spread carelessness, is the compulsory teaching of fire prevention matters in our schools.”

Captain Hugo said he did not place much faith in the nightwatcliman system. The real remedy was at hand in any one of the several efficient autodetector systems now on the market, or in the still more effective combination of auto-de-tector-sprinkler system. “In placing before you the conditions as I see them regarding the excessive waste by fire in New Zealand,” concluded Captain Hugo, “every care has been taken to avoid exaggeration, and surely the entire disappearance of property gone sky-high in smoke to the amount of over 1 j millions of money per year, and at such a time of stress as the present, calls -for prompt action from all persons who are endowed with any sense of civic responsibility, as also from the Press of the country with its tremendous influence in any matter pertaining to the welfare of the community.”